Page 25 - RPA Magazine December 2020

PATY 2020 NATIONAL WINNER 23 2020 PATY WINNER: Where to now? The Pharmacy Assistant of the Year (PATY) award has been an incredible experience. I received my nomination for the award in August this year, but I didn’t jump at the opportunity. I’ve been nominated for the award before, and I didn’t think that this time would be any different. What would change if I gave it a go? It was like running into a brick wall. But realising that I had nothing to lose, I thought, why not? Why shouldn’t I give it another go? PATY is about gaining a wealth of knowledge, meeting like-minded, passionate individuals, sharing our industry experiences and ensuring that we, as pharmacy assistants, have the tools to support our communities. I couldn’t miss it, and I gave myself a new mindset. I responded to the nomination and found out that I’d become a finalist for the Northern Territory and that the judging would be virtual. I was informed that I’d be doing a virtual interview via Microsoft Teams. I dialled in for the interview and had a blast answering the questions posed to me. A couple of weeks later I was notified that I was the Northern Territory finalist! I was over the moon, and with all my excitement contained, I waited for what came next. I received an e-mail with the details of the national judging workshop and a list of activities to complete prior to the workshop. I got to work. I prepared myself as best I could and went into the national workshop. It was phenomenal. The day finished with another round of interviews and it was time to wait. I was amazed at the intense knowledge of the other finalists and I was happy to be among them. A few days of waiting passed, then I received an e-mail from my Guild trainer in Darwin. She asked when I would be free for a video call to inform me of the national winner. It was then that I found out it was me! I was the winner! I was in disbelief. It’s such a grand title to be given. I simply had no words. It’s also an incredible feeling knowing I’m the first male winner and the first Northern Territory winner. The amount of support and congratulations has been overwhelming. Recently, I received a letter from the Northern Territory Health Minister congratulating me on the award. Being able to represent so many people is phenomenal and the next 12 months will be great. In the coming year I want to be an ambassador for all pharmacy assistants. I want to display the range of skills that all pharmacy assistants have. I want to find the talent of pharmacy assistants of everywhere and make sure their stories are told. At the workshop I had the pleasure of brainstorming a task with two other finalists, Kenya (Broad) and James (Brown). Like me, they live in small communities and they’re incredibly passionate about caring for their communities. I want to hear from the range of pharmacy assistants we have all over Australia and showcase their talents to the rest of the world, especially this year when Covid-19 has been difficult for everyone. We’ve gotten through it together and that’s how we’ll get through the aftermath. Exceptional teamwork has been instrumental in getting us this far. We’ve all had to learn a new normal and be at the ready to adapt where we need to. By Benjamin King, 2020 Pharmacy Guild of Australia/Maxigesic Pharmacy Assistant of the Year. Heading into Christmas, I’ve got a few tips to keep everyone happy and healthy these holidays: Stay calm. Christmas is busy and our customers will be coming in for gifts, medicines and quality advice. Take a moment to breathe when you need it, and remember that we’re all doing our best this season. Be ready. Check your shelves, ensure they’re well stocked and the correct prices are displayed. The last thing we should be doing is holding up queues while we check prices. Keep up with hygiene practices. Christmas will yield a higher amount of foot traffic, and with it the potential for illnesses to spread. Adapting to Covid-19 is vital, but it’s important to make sure other bugs don’t get the chance to spread these holidays. RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • DEC 2020