Magdalena Wolynska, an accuracy checking technician at Patels Chemist, Leicester, was the winner of the Key Staff Award.

Dr Keith Ridge, chief pharmaceutical officer at NHS England, Magda Wolynska, ACT at Patels Chemist in Leicester, Frances Mogridge, sales training and development manager at sponsor RB UK

 

Sanjay Samani, a director of the pharmacy company, says that she is someone who has continuously challenged herself to further her learning and development. She joined Patels Chemist in 2007 as a counter assistant and worked her way through different pharmacy qualifications to become an ACT.

Ms Wolynska has also completed a certificate in team leadership and, using these skills, was able to take on pharmacy and team management responsibilities when the manager went on maternity leave. She organised staff rotas, dealt with holidays, managed staff responsibilities and organised seasonal promotions.

Resolving difficult situations

When it comes to dealing with patients, says Mr Samani, Ms Wolynska's caring nature helps her to resolve difficult situations. In one instance she encouraged parents of a girl with near-constant pain in her legs — which the parents put down to growing pains — to have the pains properly investigated. The girl was diagnosed with a rare condition treatable with medication. Ms Wolynska has now become close friends with the family.

Ms Wolynska comes from a Polish background and has taken a great interest in helping people from the Polish community, who can find communicating in English to be a challenge. Word has spread, and more and more Polish people from all over Leicester come to her for advice. Where necessary, she liaises with surgeries on behalf of patients. She has also run a health awareness clinic after Sunday mass at a church used by Polish people. Ms Wolynska is now learning Spanish and hopes that this additional skill will help her communicate with people in their own language.

Frances Mogridge, sales training and development manager of award sponsor RB UK, said that Magdalena had shown many attributes that were close to the core of RB’s current learning platform supporting the development of the whole pharmacy team. Mrs Wolynska thanked her company for putting her forward for the award and her colleagues for their support.