Bradley Miller from Blackmans Bay Discount Drug Store in Tasmania has been chosen as the Tasmania State Winner of the 2019 Pharmacy Guild of Australia / Maxigesic Pharmacy Assistant of the Year Award (PATY).
Bradley will now represent Tasmania during the National Finals, to be held at the Pharmacy Assistant National Conference (PA2019) in October later this year.
We sat down with Bradley to find out more about his PATY journey so far.
How does it feel to be the State Winner? What was your reaction?
It feels very crazy! It wasn’t something I was expecting but it feels great! I couldn’t walk forward when they called my name. I was very shocked and stunned, but I’m very grateful to have been chosen.
Can you give me a brief overview of your career in pharmacy?
I started off casually in one of our other stores and within about two years, I moved to a full-time stock control role. Now I’ve moved stores and have become a Retail Manager. I have been in pharmacy for five years now.
What qualifications do you have and who did you complete your training with?
I did my Certificate III in Community Pharmacy with the Guild and I am also currently undertaking a Diploma in Leadership and Management.
What was the PATY workshop day like?
It was really, really good. It was great to talk to other like-minded people and get to hear other pharmacy assistants’ experiences in community pharmacy. Katy the facilitator was great and made the day very enjoyable and fun. It was really good and interactive.
What have you gained from PATY so far? What are you most looking forward to?
The main thing I’ve gained was learning where community pharmacy is going over the next few years which is very exciting. There are so many different things and options that companies and groups can do to enhance the experience for customers, and for us as pharmacy assistants to try and still get the best outcomes for our customers.
I’m looking forward to meeting more other like-minded people who are very passionate about pharmacy, and making customers happy and helping to improve their health. I love helping people and also giving back to communities.
Why would you encourage someone (eg. employer) to nominate a person for PATY?
Pharmacy assistants play a very important role in healthcare along with the pharmacists. Pharmacy assistants are usually the first point of contact for someone who comes into a pharmacy for any questions which can be very minor, or very complex, highly prioritised health issues. It’s something that we all need to be recognised for.
Why would you encourage a pharmacy assistant to nominate themselves or participate in PATY?
If you feel as though you’re there to help people, are putting your best step forward and even if you do not feel very confident about submitting something for yourself, then I would say just do it. See what happens. If you think you’re good at your job and want to be recognised, go for it!
Will Bradley be the 2019 PATY Winner? Find out at PA2019 and learn from all the State Winners at the conference. Register now at www.pharmacyassistants.com.