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22 PHARMACY PROFILE TERRYWHITE CHEMMART HARVEST LAKES AND ARMADALE, PERTH WELCOMING A NEW ERA OF PHARMACY BTy Emily Devon. o say that Luke Edmunds, Managing Partner of TerryWhite Chemmart (TWC) Harvest Lakes and TWC Armadale in Perth, is a busy human being would be an understatement. However, balancing two pharmacies doesn’t stop him from constantly improving and implementing new strategies throughout both stores to improve their positions in their communities. While helping run two pharmacies is an achievement in itself, Mr Edmunds says administering his first vaccination represented a significant advance. “I’d already been a strong advocate for vaccination, so the day I was able to administer that first vaccination to one of my patients was a big moment,” he said. “Having administered thousands of vaccinations since that day, I look back and view that moment as a pivotal point in the journey towards pharmacists being taken seriously in this new era of health. It really cemented our ability in the eyes of the community as being far more than just a place to fill a prescription. I can’t wait to be part of the next big leap.” He elaborates on the topic of vaccination, a popular service at both stores: “We’re consistently vaccinating well over 1000 patients a year at each store, with substantial year-on-year growth. FAST FACTS Name: Luke Edmunds, Managing Partner. How long have you been a pharmacist? 13 years. How long have you operated at your current pharmacy? TerryWhite Chemmart Harvest Lakes, eight years, TerryWhite Chemmart Armadale, 10 months. Does your pharmacy offer professional services? Yes: influenza vaccinations, whooping cough vaccinations, baby clinic, community dose administration aids, nursing home medication management service, certificates for leave, MedsChecks, ear piercing, home delivery service. What kind of customers does your pharmacy attract? Harvest Lakes: younger health-conscious families with strong preventative health attitude. Armadale: older demographic with poorer health knowledge and more of a reactive attitude to health. What size is the pharmacy? Harvest Lakes, 190sqm, Armadale, 340sqm. What is the most successful OTC category in your pharmacy and why? Harvest Lakes: strong vitamin and S2/S3 focus. Armadale has a significant fragrance, Homyped and weight-loss focus. Describe your day-to-day challenges and how you overcome them. Juggling two growing and very different businesses has been both a challenge and a bonus. The two pharmacies have very clear strengths in completely different areas, meaning we can leverage what each does well and take the lessons across to improve the other. The biggest gains have come from a focus on making every process as efficient as it can possibly be. We’re constantly reassessing everything we do. The worst thing a team member can say is “because we’ve always done it that way”. Processes, procedures and ideas can always be improved. What has been your most satisfying moment in the pharmacy? The proudest moment I’ve had in recent years was during the recent lockdowns. A snap five-day lockdown was announced, and the store suddenly had a 350 per cent increase in foot traffic within one hour. Suddenly, team members started showing up to the pharmacy out of nowhere, without being called, simply to help our patients and community. The dedication of these team members was next level and something I’ll never forget. RETAIL PHARMACY • JUN 2021