When a patient suddenly collapsed within his pharmacy premises, Mr Murphy sprang into action. Recognising the urgency of the situation, he immediately assessed the patient’s condition and found her unresponsive with no pulse. Stephen’s training and experience kicked in, and he initiated Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

With precision and determination, Mr Murphy performed chest compressions and rescue breaths, tirelessly working to revive the patient. His calm demeanour and confidence inspired those around him, including fellow staff members and concerned customers.

His efforts paid off. After several intense minutes, the patient regained consciousness, her colour returned, and her pulse re-established. Thanks to Mr Murphy’s timely intervention, a life was saved in the pharmacy. His actions exemplify the highest standards of professionalism and compassion.

Several witnesses, including colleagues and customers, can attest to Stephen’s heroic actions. Their testimonials highlight his selflessness, competence, and dedication to patient safety.

Paul John is the All Wales community lead pharmacist for blood-borne viruses (BBV), which involves identifying and treating patients with conditions such as hepatitis and HIV in the community. Since 2014 his team has treated over 4000 patients in Wales, saving in excess of £29 million through procurement, reducing progressive liver disease and halving the need for liver transplants. Its target is to now identify the remaining 8,000 patients in Wales required to eliminate HCV in Wales.

Mr John’s role is varied and no two days are the same. Although he is based in the community, his role takes him to outreach clinics, hospitals, substance misuse agencies, prisons and general practice. The team links with charities to go into prisons and help break down the stigma surrounding blood borne viruses. Outside of the prison walls, they visit probation and homeless charities to help engage with people that have vulnerable and chaotic lifestyles.

Part of his role is to educate, teach and support community pharmacy staff to provide the BBV service that include vulnerable adults. To support the training programme, Mr John’s team has worked with Health Education and Improvement Wales to produce a learning module that reinforces learning.

There is now an enhanced service for pharmacies in Wales. Support can be offered by both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians for patients who suspect they have been exposed to a blood borne viruses such hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV.

There is no doubt that community pharmacy will continue to play an increasingly important role in this work, and Mr John looks forward to further opportunities for community pharmacy to help lead his team to its target of eliminating HCV in Wales.

Giorgia Cermel has been the pharmacist at her branch in Aston Clinton for many years. She has worked through a recent acquisition from Lloyds to Jardines, and has trained many pharmacists and support staff. Over this time she has made many vital interventions to help her patients and make life-saving interventions.

In one occasion, a regular patient attended the pharmacy in the morning, and Ms Cermel immediately noted the man looked extremely unwell. She insisted, after much disagreement from the patient, that he allowed himself to be put in an ambulance and sent to the hospital. The patient had to have two invasive surgeries to deal with necrotising fascititis that he had developed.

The patient was told by his surgeon that if he had arrived as little as 30 minutes later the infection could have eaten through his femoral artery and potentially cost him his life.

The patient credits Ms Cermel and her empathy, professionalism, and awareness for saving his life. “I am certain that had Georgia not acted as promptly , professionally and caringly. I would never have attended hospital and firmly believe I would not be here today,” said the patient in a letter to the pharmacy

“Aston Clinton is a small village, and like most small villages people talk. I can tell you without bias that it has often been commented that when Georgia is in the shop the shop runs at a different level of efficiency and professionalism. She brings something to the team and the business that money can't buy, flowers can't reward, and all the thank yous in the world are insufficient,” he continued

“I can never thank her enough for her actions on that day, and the subsequent care she and the staff continued to show throughout my recovery, where nothing was ever too much to ask.”

Shabbir Mellick has set in motion a comprehensive mental health programme at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School to addressing pandemic-induced stress among KS4 students.

The Resilient Me programme, which focuses on gratitude and mindfulness, equipped students with coping mechanisms and emotional resilience. Expanded to include stress awareness and career exploration, the programme exceeded expectations, evidenced by case studies showcasing improved student well-being.

Mr Mellick has extended his impact beyond schools by contributing to mental health research. As a peer researcher for King's College London's CONNECT study, Mr Mellick actively contributed to research aimed at promoting good mental health among racially minoritised communities. Through collaborative efforts with community researchers and stakeholders, he and his team aimed to bridge the gap between academia and the community, ensuring that research outcomes translate into tangible changes to support mental health and wellbeing.

His collaboration with mental health charity MIND during South Asian Heritage Month also underscores his commitment to raising awareness about mental health issues within minority communities.

Leveraging his expertise and experience, Mr Mellick has now established a mental health brand, Fitrah Designs, dedicated to creating bite-sized videos on mental health. These videos aim to reach a broader audience and provide accessible and engaging resources for individuals seeking support and guidance in managing their mental health.

Pharmacy colleague Fiona Shearer has worked at Asda Weymouth for four years. While on shift in January, she helped to save the life of a 58-year-old customer who had a stroke and stopped breathing while collecting her regular medication at the store.

Ms Shearer, supported by an off-duty nurse shopping in the store, jumped into action after the lady became unwell and collapsed, while another colleague called 999.

The customer drifted in and out of consciousness, and Ms Shearer used the defibrillator to monitor her. She kept tapping and stroking her face and talking to help her regain consciousness, something she had learnt as part of her basic first aid training.

Doctors said that if Ms Shearer hadn't intervened in the manner she did, the customer would have died. She was experiencing astroke which had affected her heart. Thankfully the customer is now out of hospital and is making a good recovery.

Store manager Linsey McLucas said: “In the days after the incident we found out that without Fiona's actions that day we wouldn't have had the same outcome. I don't think you can put into words how proud we are of Fiona, she is an amazing colleague. She goes above and beyond for every single one of our customers who comes into the pharmacy.”

Skills4Pharmacy goes beyond offering high-quality apprenticeship training programmes. It is dedicated to supporting learners and removing barriers to success, ensuring aspiring pharmacy professionals have the tools they need to thrive.

– Its Skills4Pharmacy is one of the fastest growing Pharmacy Apprenticeship providers in England and now stands as the second largest provider of Level 2 Pharmacy Services Assistants and Level 3 Pharmacy Technicians. This growth is continuously rising, withconsistent year-over-year increases.

The team has grown to over fifty dedicated staff members, allowing them to support community pharmacies effectively. Skills4Pharmacy takes the burden off these pharmacies by handling recruitment, training, and retention of staff. This allows pharmacies to focus on their core mission – providing vital patient care – with the confidence that Skills4Pharmacy will expertly train their workforce.

With the introduction of Pharmacy First, Skills4Pharmacy is perfectly positioned to help pharmacies adapt. Its training equips learners to support the pharmacy team and alleviate pressure, allowing pharmacists to spend more valuable time directly caring for patients.

Skills4Pharmacy prioritises the learner experience. This year, 100% of learners reported feeling safe and supported, with a clear understanding of expectations. Additionally, most learners would recommend Skills4Pharmacy to their peers, highlighting the positive learning environment they foster.

Skills4Pharmacy is not just an apprenticeship provider – it is  a trusted partner for pharmacies and aspiring professionals alike. Its dedication to growth, exceptional results, and a learner-centric approach ensures staff are well-positioned to shape the future of pharmacy workforce development.

Skills4Pharmacy goes beyond apprenticeships by partnering with local authorities to offer Skills Bootcamps. These free programmes provide intensive training at Level 3 for unemployed individuals. This significantly boosts employability in the pharmacy sector. Skills4Pharmacy is now collaborating with Lancashire (for a second time), Cheshire & Warrington, and Liverpool, with more to follow soon.

Karen Park, head of customer services at PillTime, consistently puts patients at the heart of everything she does.

As the head of customer care, she ensures that patients receive prompt, informative, and supportive service. Her commitment to understanding patient needs and addressing their concerns is commendable.

Medication adherence is a critical issue, especially for patients with long-term health conditions. Ms Park recognises this challenge and works tirelessly to improve adherence rates and that is evident on her calls. She understands that accurate medication management can significantly impact a patient’s wellbeing and knows when to get a pharmacist involved.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, PillTime faced a surge in customer registrations and orders. Ms Park’s team experienced a 600% increase in customer service calls and an 800% increase in emails overnight. Despite the overwhelming demand, she ensured that patients received their prescriptions on time. Her dedication and adaptability during this crisis highlight her heroism.

Ms Park collaborates with other departments to efficiently resolve patient queries. She uses Salesforce, integrating it with other departments and is currently developing a new CRM system for the business. Her training to the Customer Service team allows them to effectively answer queries in order to free up pharmacists to focus on new prescriptions and patient advice while making sure referrals happen when needed.

Ms Park works closely with the team, striving to change lives through efficient medication management. Her leadership inspires others to prioritise patient wellbeing. As the fourth-largest pharmacy in the UK, PillTime’s success owes much to her vision and dedication.

Karen Park’s unwavering commitment to patient care, innovative solutions, and collaborative spirit make her an unsung hero. Her impact extends beyond PillTime, positively influencing the lives of thousands of patients across the UK.

A regular patient recently presented to the store at opening time and looked visibly unwell. The store manager is aware of the patient’s medical history and offered assistance and a quiet place to sit. Store staff took the patient’s blood pressure  and phoned his wife to explain the situation.

The store manager spoke directly with the patient’s cardiac team, and she was advised to call an ambulance immediately.

The patient started to deteriorate quickly and the pharmacy staff assisted the manager in caring for the patient. Glyceryl triniatrate (GTN) was administered at the request of the ambulance service but did not work. The manager then sought urgent additional assistance from the adjoining surgery, and GPs rushed to assist until the ambulance arrived.

The patient was taken to hospital and has since been told that his recent stent operation was unsuccessful. He is now awaiting a corrective surgery. It is safe to say that the Payden Pharmacy team’s actions in caring for this patient were vital.