The diverse population found in the vast area around the Kalgoorlie region presents many challenges, but for Wizard Pharmacy Kalgoorlie Central meeting the needs of as many people as it can is paramount to the way it operates.
To achieve this the pharmacy offers a wide range of tailored professional services and the way it manages and delivers these services has resulted in it being named winner of the Excellence in Professional Innovation category of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia's Pharmacy of the Year competition.
The awards, sponsored by Care Pharmaceuticals and QCPP, are a highlight of the pharmacy calendar and recognise pharmacies that are leaders in providing innovative and optimal healthcare for members of their community.
One of the winners of the three competition categories - Excellence in Professional Innovation, Excellence in Community Engagement, and Excellence in Business Management – will be named the overall 2020 Pharmacy of the Year on Thursday, 19 March 2020.
Spokesperson for the judging group Nick Panayiaris, Pharmacy Guild of Australia National Councillor and President of the South Australian Branch of the Guild, said innovation in developing and delivering professional services was fundamental to the future of the profession.
"One area the judges look at in this category is what professional health services the pharmacy provides, whether on the premises or off-site, that are unique or fill a special gap in their community. We found Wizard Pharmacy Kalgoorlie Central has undertaken exceptional work in this area," he said.
"For instance, Wizard Pharmacy Kalgoorlie Central is a key component in health delivery in the Goldfields of WA. It services Aboriginal health at Bega Garnbirringu based in Kalgoorlie, the people of Tjuntjunjarra at Spinifex Health located 600km from Kalgoorlie and through the hospitals at Laverton and Leonora and nursing post in Menzies.
"This is a huge area with a very diverse population whose professional service needs are varied. The pharmacy has decided to focus on professional service delivery and has invested in automation so that its pharmacists can maximise their interaction with patients be available to interact with patients."
Care Pharmaceuticals' General Manager Jonathan Biddle said the judges were impressed by the pharmacy's commitment to ensuring local needs were met.
"They have trained their staff to deliver customised and highly targeted services that are designed specifically for their patients," he said.
"They monitor these services and evaluate their success against strong criteria to ensure they continue to meet the needs of their community."
