Corrys Chemists’ company motto is ‘Expect something extra’. Winner of the 2014 Independent Pharmacist of the Year Award Paddy Corry tells Steve Bremer how he gives his patients so much more than the minimum

In the space of nine years Paddy Corry has gone from a young pharmacist who had just purchased his first pharmacy, but knew little about running a business, to the owner of four successful pharmacies that deliver a comprehensive range of services. Hard work and a good head for business have played a part, but there seems little doubt that it’s the Corry ethos of giving patients and colleagues more than they expect that has made him such a valued and well-respected part of his community.

Think of a service and Mr Corry provides it, a health promotion opportunity and he’s done it, a link with a community group and he’s forged it, or a public health initiative and he’s tried it. And all in the name of patient care. “I will go that extra mile for patients when it’s needed,” he says.

Mr Corry bought his first pharmacy in Castlederg, County Tyrone, in 2006, achieving a lifelong ambition with the help of a loan from the Bank of Ireland. Prior to that, in the three years since qualifying from Queen’s University Belfast, he had worked for a local multiple for a year and locumed both North and South of the border. He bought two more pharmacies, in Enniskillen and Gortin, in 2008. And in August last year, Mr Corry bought his first pharmacy outside of Northern Ireland, in Glasgow.

Mr Corry’s brother, Niall, who had previously been in hospital practice, has run the Enniskillen branch since it opened. The two Corry brothers now own the business between them, while Paddy Corry’s sister-in- law is the pharmacist at the Gortin branch.

Although Mr Corry was well-equipped for the professional aspects of running a pharmacy back in 2006, he had to hit the ground running in terms of the business side. “My main challenge was trying to get my head around the whole business aspect. I had no business experience, so I had to work out things like VAT returns for myself. And trying to build a business on top of that was quite hard.”

The services

While Corrys Chemists offer a wide range of services, Mr Corry highlights the minor ailments scheme, smoking cessation, MURs and ‘Managing Your Medicines’ service as particular successes. MURs in Northern Ireland are targeted at asthma, COPD and diabetes, and Mr Corry is reaching his full annual quota of 120 reviews. His four-week success rate for smoking cessation stands at 64 per cent.

The ‘Managing Your Medicines’ service, commissioned by the Health and Social Care Board, is an in-depth medication review for at- risk and vulnerable patients, with an annual quota of 20 reviews. “These are good because you can go into people’s homes and get a feel for what conditions they live in, what help they have, and how they manage their medicines. It’s very productive and satisfying and I get a lot of job satisfaction from these. It makes you feel more valued.”

Flu vaccinations have been another success story. These are not NHS-funded in Northern Ireland so a PGD is used to offer vaccinations to workers at local businesses and organisations. Although he describes giving vaccinations as “a bit daunting at first” Mr Corry now vaccinates up to 40 people at their workplace during their lunch break.

The Eniskillen branch offers DNA testing. Paternity can be determined from a saliva sample and saves patients having to travel to Belfast for the service. H pylori testing is yet another service on offer.

Counselling opportunities

When prescriptions need delivering, Mr Corry usually takes them himself after work. “This gives me a chance to counsel the patients on their medicines, iron out any possible problems, and in doing so ensure that they are not devoid of the pharmaceutical services they could have received had they come into the pharmacy.”

This delivery service is not advertised and is targeted at those that really need it to ensure that it is not abused or under-valued. And local GPs prefer patients to visit the pharmacy where possible, because it gets them out of the house and provides some social contact. The two other pharmacies in Castlederg operate on a similar principle so that deliveries do not become competition-driven.

Likewise, compliance aids are targeted at those with particular needs. If a GP phones requesting a patient’s medicine be dispensed in a compliance aid, Mr Corry will often, in the first instance, offer a medicines management visit instead, to determine if the aid is necessary.

But the success of this business is not purely down to its professional services. Corrys in Castlederg has a comprehensive selection of goods for sale in the shopfront, including fine fragrances, and is a thriving part of the business. While most independent pharmacies in Northern Ireland, like those in England and Wales, operate on a 90/10 NHS/OTC business split, Castlederg enjoys a 70/30 ratio. This is at least partly down to its rural location and lack of supermarket competition.

In the community

Mr Corry runs free health check days in the pharmacy, usually on a Saturday to suit working people. On these days, he offers cholesterol and blood pressure testing, diabetes screening and BMI checks. “I do this purely for the goodwill and to put something back into the community.” Any donations are passed to the local terminally ill fund, which the pharmacy also supports. Some patients have been referred to their GP, while others get lifestyle advice. The local GP practice now refers patients to the pharmacy for the blood pressure testing service.

"I will go that extra mile for patients when it’s needed"

Mr Corry has employed locums so that he can contribute to local community groups. These groups include Early Years SureStart, where he completed a project on women’s health and wellbeing, and Prospects (a local group for people with mental health issues), where he advised on a number of problems including stress and pharmacy services. Mr Corry has also provided services including health promotion, smoking cessation, minor ailments and health checks at the local healthy living centre.

Mr Corry is closely involved with his community. He has organised events at local schools and nurseries, as well as delivering smoking cessation and health promotion support directly to local businesses. A talk on medicines wastage – ‘Don’t use it, don’t order it’ – given at the community centre was particularly well received.

Good atmosphere, happy staff

 

Mr Corry with medicines counter assistant Michelle McGuire

Corrys at Castlederg is staffed by two full-time pharmacists, including Mr Corry, two full-time assistants, a dispensary assistant and two part- time counter assistants. A combination of praise and regular training courses are important to keep them motivated, says Mr Corry. “I try to create a good atmosphere. If staff are happy they’re productive and everybody is happy. Most of our training is from Numark and that keeps everyone up to date.”

Although electronic prescriptions appear even further away in Northern Ireland than the rest of the UK, Mr Corry has taken the initiative with IT, setting up his own website. From this, patients can be emailed links to advice about their condition and they can also order their repeat prescriptions. Once patients have signed up and given consent they can access a list of their medication on the pharmacy website, from where they can select which items they want to re-order. At the pharmacy their order can be printed and taken to the surgery.

One of the biggest bugbears for pharmacists in Northern Ireland is their longstanding absence of a contract for NHS dispensing services. This uncertainty and lack of stability is making many contractors reluctant to invest in their business.

This issue, coupled with the relatively high prices and lack of availability of pharmacies for sale in Northern Ireland, was behind Mr Corry’s decision to purchase his most recent business outside of Ireland.

The fourth Corrys Chemist is in Glasgow, half an hour’s flight away. “They’ve got a good contract there. The services are similar but they do seem to have a good structure as regards remuneration and the contract there gives us a bit of security.

Corrys Chemist, Castlederg: At the heart of its community

But Mr Corry has no plans to base himself and his business outside of Northern Ireland. His current plan for the immediate future is to consolidate the business.

And the key to this consolidation is likely to be the same formula that made the business successful in the first place. “Hard work is the secret of my success, and always keeping abreast of what’s happening in the profession. And enjoying it. If you don’t enjoy it you’re not productive.”

Comments from key stakeholders in Castlederg’s public health

"Paddy has contributed to increasing local people’s skills and their understanding of health issues and how behavioural choices play a significant role in positive mental and physical health. The pharmacy plays an important role in promoting health in the Castlederg community."

"Paddy has excellent leadership skills and manages a very dedicated, courteous, hard-working, confidential, warm and friendly team. He has developed an excellent working relationship with the GPs, nursing staff, practice manager and reception staff."

"Mr Corry has an extensive knowledge base and we find this a very useful resource in the management of our patients."

"Paddy shows extensive knowledge and understanding of the issues facing parents of young children. He has a very community approach to his work."

"I would like to express our gratitude to Patrick for the professional and caring manner in which he delivered our community pharmacy partnership project to our members.