Discount Drug Stores (DDS), has announced its 2022 pharmacy award recipients, as part of its first in-person national conference in three years.
The conference event, which saw pharmacy teams and individuals recognised for their outstanding efforts in pharmacy and retail service, was held on the Gold Coast from 29 to 31 May.
More than 160 DDS owners, pharmacy and retail team members, suppliers, and employees took part in a range of workshops over the two-day period which included interactive sessions, such as how to build strong retail destinations based on fresh industry insights and how the DDS Difference can help strengthen individual pharmacies.
Among DDS’s lineup of industry-leading presenters included Human Behaviour Expert, Dan Gregory, who provided insight into the effective management of change and leading a team to success, and former Managing Director of Kmart, Guy Russo, who spoke about strategies to increase profitability and talent performance over time.
“The Discount Drug Stores conference was a welcome chance to bring our national team together for the first time since the pandemic began, facilitating compelling conversations around professional and business development, brand strategy and peer-to-peer engagement activities,” Head of Discount Stores, Patrick Stoll said.
“Most importantly, the event provided an opportunity for us to formally acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of our pharmacy and retail teams over the past year and beyond.
“Throughout the Covid crisis, the critical role of pharmacists in delivering health care services and assistance to our community has never been more important – it was a period where our discount pharmacies continued to provide convenient and value healthcare services to their customers and the community.
“We are proud to recognise and honour the award winners at this year’s conference, thanking each of our pharmacy and retail employees across Discount Drug Stores who continue to create a strong network,” he said.
This year’s awards winners include:
- National Pharmacist of the Year: Charity Nyakubaya, Mandurah Discount Drug Store (WA), who was awarded for her commitment to providing positive health outcomes to patients and inspiring members of the team to strive for improved customer experiences.
- National Retail Manager of the Year: April Mills, Thornton Discount Drug Store (NSW), who was awarded for her commitment to exemplary customer experience resulting in long term customer traffic growth and inspiring a cohesive team.
- National Pharmacy Assistant of the Year: Amanda Young, Scenic Rim Discount Drug Store (QLD), was awarded for her dedication to delivering exceptional customer service and exceeding expectations by taking initiative and stepping up to challenges.
