Brisbane pharmacy takes out title

Tegan Fleming

Tim Hodgson, managing partner of TWC Myer Centre, said his pharmacy focused on customer service and was committed to innovative pharmacy practice, team development, and staff and student training, as well as business development and success.

"Our team are enthusiastic about the future of pharmacy. They are keen to have an input in the future through growth and innovation at the store level.

"We see pharmacy changing and seek continuous quality improvement. We embrace initiatives that maximise patients' access to the pharmacist and go beyond simply being purveyors of pills," Mr Hodgson said.

Senator Jan McLucas, parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, announced the winners of the professional services and innovation, rural or small pharmacy, and people's choice categories, as well as the overall winner, at last month's APP conference.

TWC Myer Centre took out the professional services and innovation category, Sinnamon Park Pharmacy in Queensland won the rural or small pharmacy category, and the people's choice award went to Centro Mildura Pharmacy in Victoria.

The people's choice award was decided by the number of votes received for each business by the general public, while entries for the two other categories were assessed by three independent judges: Pharmacy Guild of Australia corporate communications manager, Elana Huthnance; Australian College of Pharmacy Practice and Management chief executive officer, John Chapman; and J&J pharmacy relations manager, Graham Perl.

Mr Perl said TWC Myer Centre was a market leader in Australian community pharmacy for the development and delivery of professional pharmacy services.

"For individual customers, innovation has been shown to meet the needs of their time-poor city customers to ensure convenience of access to pharmacy services includes the provision of high quality advice and information.

"It is almost a pity that there had to be overall winner, as all of the finalists would have been worthy winners," he said.

Kos Sclavos, Guild national president, congratulated TWC Myer Centre and the category winners, saying he was pleased to see this year's winners were all worthy of the title of "ultimate health care destination".

"The winners are delivering real health care solutions for their customers. They have excelled in the delivery of pharmacy services and show community pharmacy in the best possible light to patients, health authorities and the governments of Australia.

"Pharmacists should take the time to visit these pharmacies," Mr Sclavos said.

The winners of each category received $5000 and TWC Myer Centre received an additional $5000.