The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7190 p395
23 March 2002

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Pharmacy Assistant of the Year 2001

Pharmacy assistant Georgina McEntee, who works for J&P Boggiano pharmacy, St Helens, Merseyside, has won the title of Pharmacy Assistant of the Year. She was presented with a £2,000 holiday voucher and a commemorative vase at a ceremony at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's headquarters in London last month. Two runners up, Trish Sumpter, of Lloydspharmacy, Isle of Wight, and Jean White, of Vintage Pharmacy, Hingham, Norfolk, each won a £500 voucher for a weekend break for two.

Pharmacy assistants took part in the competition by answering questions in issues of The Pharmacy Assistant during 2001 (The Pharmacy Assistant is edited within the offices of The Pharmaceutical Journal). A tie for the winning place was settled by interview with a panel of judges (Mel Smith, professional relations manager, Reckitt Benckiser, Vicki Anderton, pharmacist training officer, National Pharmaceutical Association and Harriet Adcock, senior staff editor, The Pharmaceutical Journal). The panel tested the contestants on product knowledge, customer relations and other pharmacy topics.

The winning assistant, Mrs McEntee is celebrating eight years as a pharmacy assistant this year. She said she was shocked to have been awarded first place in the competition: "I didn't expect to win."

Before the finals, her husband had suggested going on a safari if she won the £2,000 holiday prize. "I think he was joking, but it could happen," she added.

The prizes were presented by Marshall Davies, President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Mr Davies said: "I know from my years in community pharmacy just how important good staff are." He told the assistants that he saw them as members of a team helping pharmacists to be effective, and that they made pharmacies helpful, friendly places. Mr Davies offered his personal congratulations and those of the Society to all of the winners.

"Congratulations, too, to the pharmacists who have the good sense to employ them," he added.

Lesley Johnson, now the NPA's head of training, said that pharmacy assistants bring added value to pharmacy services.

"You should be an inspiration for other members of staff. Customers must be extremely grateful for your knowledge," she added.

Mel Smith praised the winning assistants for their high level of knowledge and commitment to their jobs. "With staff like this, pharmacy has got a great future," he said. He described how each of the finalists had said "Go for it" when asked what they would say to a friend considering working as a pharmacy assistant.

The competition, run by The Pharmacy Assistant and the NPA, is sponsored by Reckitt Benckiser. Details of this year's competition can be found in the April issue of The Pharmacy Assistant which will be sent to community pharmacies as an insert to the NPA's Supplement.

Interact winner The Pharmacy Interact Assistant of the Year is Jodie Finch of Superdrug pharmacy, Buxton, Derbyshire. Her prize, also sponsored by Reckitt Benckiser, was a £500 holiday voucher for a weekend for two and a commemorative vase.