Garrett Ross, Supervising Pharmacist, LloydsPharmacy
All newly registered pharmacists entering the profession have fixed goals in mind; from servicing the needs of communities across Ireland to striving for excellence within the profession. In achieving these, they all need a strong foundation built on integrity, a focus on the customer, respect and collaboration.
Here we talk to LloydsPharmacy Pharmacist Garrett Ross on how he found the perfect fit for him.
Registering as a community pharmacist in Northern Ireland in 2006, Garrett joined LloydsPharmacy in the same year – known then as Unicare. Determined that he wanted to be a part of a dynamic and growing team which matched his core thinking behind what community pharmacy is all about, that first role with LloydsPharmacy was a perfect fit.
He tells Irish Pharmacy News, “When I joined Unicare they were a fast-growing chain of pharmacies with over a dozen stores in North Dublin, which matched not only my vision for an employer, but also my desired location.
Supporting Roles
“At that time they were offering great training and support in helping me transition from North to South. I attended a recruitment drive but it was the atmosphere in the existing stores and the team ethos which really made the decision for me to join. Furthermore, there was a variety of roles available, including relief and support with the progression into supervisory and management, which also greatly appealed to me at that time.”
Garrett is currently the Supervising Pharmacist with LloydsPharmacy at Kilbarrack Shopping Centre and Pharmacy Cluster Manager, a title he has held since 2017.
Outlining a typical day which involves the day-to-day running of his own dispensary, Garrett ensures compliance with all HSE and PSI requirements and assists other stores with monitoring and improving their performance through the measuring of a number of KPIs for the store.
“This involves employing current best practice models and regular audits within the dispensary to increase efficiencies which ultimately improve patient safety and make visiting the pharmacy better experience for the public,” he adds.
“Working with LloydsPharmacy gives me the opportunity to have the best of both worlds; working as a pharmacist and servicing the healthcare needs of our local community whilst enjoying the benefits of working with a network of pharmacists and managers and the support that each store gives each other.
“There is a strong camaraderie within the regions. There is always someone who is willing and able to help and we work hard to help each other. This has been especially evident over the past nine months when there was a lot uncertainty and a huge amount of pressure on pharmacists and managers within the stores.”
Meeting Challenges
When Covid-19 hit the shores of Ireland in March of last year, Garrett and his team were more than ready to support their communities, and each other.
“Clearly the Covid-19 pandemic will continue well into 2021 and probably beyond that,” he says.
“This is a challenge that community pharmacy has responded to well so far. As a group of healthcare professionals we have shown that we very capable of adapting and orientating our business and services quickly to support our patients needs and meet the requests of our customers.
“The retention of pharmacists, in particular, younger and recently registered pharmacists within community pharmacy is of huge concern for every pharmacy business as it leaves the profession under resourced and has an impact on the mental health of existing pharmacists.
“Younger pharmacists need and deserve encouragement and mentoring to build their confidence and skill sets as they are the future of what is the most accessible point of care for the public for health advice, minor ailments and medication.
During 2020, all LloydsPharmacy stores were adapted to provide screened areas for the safety of all staff and the public.
“We have clear signage in stores to direct patients and the public in their journeys through the pharmacy. We have managed our stores to specifically meet the needs of our patients at a local store level. Our SOPs have been updated clearly. It has highlighted how important it is to have clear communication within the company.”
LloydsPharmacy actively take on pre-registration intern pharmacists and offer training and mentoring for newly qualified pharmacists to develop their level of competency, which provides a foundation for those younger pharmacists at the start of their careers.
Channels of Communication
Key to any effective team is clear communication and a focused shared desire for excellence. Reflecting on this, Garrett says it’s one of LloydsPharmacy’s strongest points.
“Within LloydsPharmacy there is an ease of communication between fellow pharmacists in other stores coupled with good channels of knowledge sharing. This allows for pharmacists to be kept informed of both legislative changes and updates to clinical practice. It is easy to pick up the phone and contact another pharmacist who may be more familiar with the prescribing or procurement of certain medications or with payment issues. I feel we are lucky to have so many well-informed pharmacists and well-trained and knowledgeable staff in each stores.
“We have strong clinical governance support and an excellent superintendent pharmacist and are provided with prompt and clear assistance with regulatory and clinical updates. This includes a well maintained and robust compendium of SOPs.
“During my career I found it a central place to learn both as a novice pharmacist and as a more experienced pharmacist.
