Caoimhe McAuley, Boots Ireland
Committed to providing accessible, affordable healthcare in communities nationwide Caoimhe has overseen the implementation and delivery of a broad range of public health initiatives over the last 12 months including ensuring continuity of pharmacy service by guaranteeing that each and every pharmacy in the Boots network remained as open and accessible as possible in spite of strict public health restrictions and associated resourcing challenges; expansion of Covid-19 Testing Services at Boots Ireland to include antigen testing services in addition to PCR testing; promoted increased awareness of menopause and fertility issues through participation in two– Let’s Make Menopause Visible and Let’s Give Fertility Visibility and launched a new HPV Vaccination Service, the first service of its kind in community pharmacy in Ireland. Caoimhe works with and through her community pharmacy teams to engage with communities across the length and breadth of Ireland. On a national level Caoimhe has been committed to ensuring a continued respected valued place for pharmacy in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. As an active member of the HSE Community Pharmacy Planning Forum she has helped provide insight into the day to day work of community pharmacy whilst also sharing the opportunities that exist for better utilisation of this valuable network within primary care for the benefit of patients and communities alike.
Nial Tully, Tully’s totalhealth Pharmacy, Castlerea
Over the last twelve months, Nial Tully certainly made things easier for the community in a time when it was difficult to stay positive. In his pharmacy he provided access to services in a time when it was hard, in particular, providing patients with the necessary Covid-19 vaccinations along with the many other services we provide, such as blood pressure checks, injection service, blood glucose checks, measuring of BMI, baby weight checks, blister packing of medication, prescription delivery service, out of hours service, cholesterol checks, smoking cessation and ear and throat exams, all while adhering to public health advice. Nial is always a man to go above and beyond for his patients and customers but he really showed this over the last year and more. In a time when people were struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel, there was always a bright light and an encouraging word to be found in Tully’s. Nial knows that it’s not just about medication, sometimes laughter is the best medicine.
Elaine Lillis , Meaghers Pharmacy, Dublin
Elaine has been Superintendent Pharmacist for Meaghers Pharmacy Group since August 2019 and in her time as Superintendent she has championed a number of public health initiatives. Since taking on the role of Superintendent the number of flu vaccines delivered in Meaghers has increased dramatically year on year. The last two years has seen record numbers of patients registering for a flu vaccine at their local Meaghers Pharmacy. Elaine has a great passion for the role of the pharmacist in preventative healthcare, she truly believes that the position of the pharmacist can be utilised to help patients live healthier lives and to not only care for patients whenthey are ill but help them remain well. There is a silent epidemic of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Ireland and patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol are at greater risk of developing this disease. Elaine teamed up with leading Consultant Hepatologist and Gastroenterologist Professor Suzanne Norris, to run several successful liver scans clinics in a number of Meaghers pharmacies, the country’s only pharmacy-led Diabetes Liver Screen Initiative. The highly ambitious programme is the first trial of its type in Europe.
View all this years Finalists HERE
