We caught up with the Pharmacist/Pharmacy Team of the Year Award shortlist ahead of this year’s General Practice Awards ceremony to be held on 6 December at the Novotel London West.

Graham Young Pharmacy, in partnership with Thistlemoor Medical Centre, has made a significant impact on the way pharmacy services are delivered in Peterborough.

With a 50-year legacy of compassionate care, Graham Young Pharmacy partnered with Thistlemoor in 2022, growing from a small team of 10 to a thriving 30-strong workforce. Together, they redefined their role beyond dispensing, focusing on clinical care and embracing technology to meet the needs of their community.

The partnership has introduced a wide range of services, from immunisations to ear wax removal and blood pressure monitoring. A key innovation was the introduction of 'Amanda', a state-of-the-art dispensing robot, which has automated much of the prescription process, freeing pharmacists to provide clinical services.

In addition, the introduction of a 24/7 prescription collection point, alongside an app for remote medication ordering, has made access to medicines easier for patients, especially shift workers. The sharing of the pharmacy’s computer system with the medical centre has streamlined communication and patient care, allowing real-time updates between teams.

In the past 12 months, the pharmacy administered over 6,000 vaccinations, including 200 in one day, vastly improving access to immunisations compared to the previous year. Blood pressure monitoring has been a major focus, with over 2,500 checks performed and 400 ambulatory checks, resulting in around 50 new diagnoses.

Recruitment has grown the team to six regular pharmacists, two of whom are training to become prescribers. By providing hands-on clinical experience within the medical centre, the pharmacy is equipping its staff with the skills to deliver even more comprehensive care. This has been further supported by a training programme that includes leadership development and additional qualifications for non-pharmacy staff.

One achievement is the pharmacy’s selection as Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Pathfinder, with initial focus on monitoring hypertension and increasing or decreasing medication.

This programme shifts care from the medical centre to the pharmacy, allowing Thistlemoor to focus on other complex patient needs. The work will subsequently facilitate detecting irregular heartbeats in patients, prescribing cholesterol medication to protect against heart attacks and strokes, and actively looking for cases of diabetes.

In one year, the pharmacy has grown from providing no clinical consultations to facilitating over 1,000 consultations in a single month.

Feedback from pharmacy patients has been overwhelmingly positive. One patient commented: ‘Very efficient, on time with appointments, competent practitioners… the text messaging service to collect tablets is very much appreciated.’

Another praised the ‘quick and hassle-free’ ear syringing service, while others highlighted the fast and efficient experience they had with flu and Covid-19 vaccinations.