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6 INDUSTRY UPDATES GREAT THINGS DON’T COME FROM COMFORT ZONES Have you ever been nominated or thought about nominating for the Pharmacy Assistant of the Year (PATY) Award but were too afraid to try? With this year’s virtual format, 2020 is your year! Instead of the usual state workshops and national judging day where nominees come together to compete for the state finalist and national winner titles, this year’s interview and judging process will take place online. The online format is also great for those pharmacy assistants who are unable to commit to a full day out of their pharmacy or those who are unable to attend due to travel restrictions. 2018 Pharmacy Assistant of the Year, Alice Vanderpol encourages pharmacy assistants to step out of their comfort zone and nominate, as the experience could be life changing. “When speaking to pharmacy assistants about nominating for the award, the main excuses I’m given is that they’re nervous about public speaking, that they haven’t been in pharmacy for long enough or that they’re too scared to try,” she said. “Until you nominate for an award like this, you don’t know what you’re capable of achieving. “Even if you don’t win, you’ll have an amazing experience that could change your life.” In addition to the main award, the Pharmacy Assistant of the Year competition also features the Glucojel Super Star Award, which recognises outstanding customer service among the PATY state and territory finalists. Each PATY nominee who takes part in a state/territory selection interview is automatically entered into the Super Star Award and is eligible to win return flights, accommodation and registration to attend APP2021. PATY is now open to all Australian pharmacy assistants with a minimum of two years’ industry experience. Prizes include $5,000 cash and a Pharmacy Guild training course for the national winner. Nominate yourself or an outstanding pharmacy assistant that you know at: pharmacyassistants.com/paty. Third party nominations close on 17 August 2020, with self-nominations and responses closing on 7 September 2020. HOW ASSISTANTS CAN SUPPORT THE UTI PILOT The Urinary Tract Infection Pharmacy Pilot – Queensland (UTIPP-Q) has already received a positive response following its launch recently. Queensland women are showing that they want access to highly trained primary healthcare professionals, with the pilot proving to be another fantastic opportunity for community pharmacists to increase their contribution to patient care in the community. So, how can pharmacy assistants support the delivery of the pilot, or any health service that your pharmacy may offer, including vaccinations, home health aids or blood pressure monitoring? Because the first interaction a patient has in a community pharmacy is often with a trusted pharmacy assistant, it’s vital that you understand the service itself, so familiarise yourself with the service overview and if you have any questions, ask your pharmacist. Identify potential patients based on whether they fit the qualifying demographics, such as age and gender, and product requests. For the UTIPP-Q, ensure you and your team are well trained to identify patients who may be suitable to benefit from the pilot program, which allows specifically trained community pharmacists to provide treatment for uncomplicated UTIs. You may wish to develop certain wording, or a preferred script that you and the team all use to introduce the pilot to your customers. Those customers who are seeking symptomatic relief from products such as urinary alkalinisers, paracetamol or anti-inflammatories for lower abdominal pain, or complimentary medicine preparations such as cranberry, may be an ideal patient with whom to discuss more about the pilot and triage on to your trained community pharmacist for more information. Place marketing material in script bags or display posters around the pharmacy, especially in consultation rooms, and use them as a talking point with patients by asking them if they’ve heard about your pharmacy’s health services. Additionally, spread the word by talking about the service to your family and friends, and ensure that your community pharmacy is trained, ready and willing assist them. RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • AUG 2020