Pharmacists are urged to celebrate their success

The Pharmacy Business Awards are one of the most prestigious events in the pharmacy calendar, recognising the achievements of professionals within the sector and the outstanding contribution they make to public health. Head judge Shilpa Shah looks at why you should submit your entry for this year’s awards…

Have you sent in your nomination(s) in yet for the Pharmacy Business Awards 2025? What are you waiting for? For many years community pharmacy has been overlooked as a sector. We now have a new government that have said how much they value community pharmacy. Events such as the Pharmacy Business Awards allow us to showcase the best of the best.

Community pharmacy owners, you all know how much you and your teams do every day for your local communities. Share your story to inspire others. Celebrate team members who go above and beyond, time and time again.

There are almost 20 different categories that you can enter. You can nominate yourself, a member of your team or even other people in the pharmacy world that you admire, as long as they fit onto one of the categories for nominations.

If you work for an organisation that provides services to a pharmacy such as a buying group, a membership group, or a supplier that has noticed a standout pharmacy or staff member, please do nominate those pharmacies or team members in the pharmacies you represent.

As head judge, I have the pleasure and privilege of interviewing everyone who is nominated. As a CEO for Community Pharmacy North East London, I know that from the 370 pharmacies I represent, all of them could enter the awards with a nomination in one of the categories.

Many pharmacy contractors I speak to have invested in various technology and IT platforms which have helped revolutionise their business often freeing up time so they they can spend more time with patients and delivering services. Is this an award you can put in a nomination for? It could be a PMR change, implementation of a robot, using a medication collection point outside your pharmacy, or using an app to empower patients in taking ownership of the medication ordering.

Make sure in your application, you write about the benefit that this technology has bought to your pharmacy, to the team and to patients.

A couple of categories that really stand out for me are the Aspiring Pharmacy Leader of the Year and Inspiring Woman of the Year. Being an avid social media user, especially LinkedIn, I see some great things that people are doing in the pharmacy world. I would urge anyone who uses social media and reads all these posts to nominate the people that stand out to you.

For any contractors that own three or more pharmacies, the Pharmacy Group of the Year award may be one for you. As you start to build a pharmacy group, as an owner, it can be difficult to keep all the plates spinning. To be successful, you need good leadership and good people around you. How do you engage all staff in your organisation? How do you measure success?

Pharmacy Team of the Year (I don’t know about you, but I have a dream team of people I have worked with over the years that I would have in my pharmacy if I ever owned one, a bit like a fantasy football team, but for a pharmacy). Do you have a team like that? A team that are like family or a group of friends, that all work together to make your pharmacy the best that it can be.

I’ve been in my current role for three-and-a-half years and over the years I have got to know some contractors really well. So many of them tell me about some of the brilliant things that they do for their local community. Do you do something that would make you a worthy contender for the Community Pharmacy Heroes Award? Do you offer public health services that serve your community well? If so, could you be in with a chance of winning Public Health Pharmacist of the Year?

I would ask that anyone reading this, takes some time to reflect on their business, their pharmacy or pharmacies and looks at making a nomination for one or more of the categories for this year’s awards. It’s time to showcase the great work that you and your teams do every day for your local communities.

The glitzy, glamourous event is on October 3rd, 2025 and it’s a great night with lovely food, lots of networking and celebrating the best of the best in pharmacy.

I hope to see you there!