The C+D Awards were this year held as an online ceremony for the first time in the event’s 13-year history, for safety reasons in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hosted by celebrated comedian Stephan Mangan (pictured), 16 awards were presented during the course of the evening, including to the winners of the two COVID HEROES categories, new for this year.

Bringing the sector together for “community pharmacy’s biggest night in”, the awards celebrated the contributions and achievements of pharmacy during what has been an unusually challenging year.

Winners included Shabbir Mellick with the Croydon GP Collaborative, a double winner taking home both the Above and Beyond  award – voted for by C+D readers ahead of last night’s event – and the Public Health Champion of the Year trophy.

Mr Mellick won Public Health Champion of the Year for contributions that include hosting events to promote mental health in locations such as schools and universities, among a number of community commitments.

Judges praised Mr Mellick for “his tireless work to support others in the community with their physical and mental health”.

"Trailblazers"

Other winners included Community Pharmacist of the year Jackie Lewis from Lewis Pharmacy and Pharmacy Team of the Year: the Well Pharmacy PMR & CF Implementation Team.

Judges drew attention to Ms Lewis’ work as “highlighting the importance of community pharmacy in oncology – an otherwise unrecognised area”.

Meanwhile, the Well Pharmacy PMR & CF Implementation Team was praised as a “great team with super planning and delivery” for its work “creating an improved patient medication record (PMR) with hub and spoke dispensing” and the impact of this on “freeing up pharmacist time to deliver clinical services”.

Welsh pharmacy Fferyllwyr Llyn Cyf was another double winner, taking home both Independent Pharmacy of the Year and the Business Innovation Award.

Judges lauded Fferyllwyr Llyn Cyf as “real trailblazers” in relation to its Independent Pharmacy of the Year win and held up the pharmacy as “a great example of how pharmacy works with local community, and healthcare professionals to develop and drive services that are accessible to patients to improve their health”.

“Thank you to each and every one of you”

C+D editor Beth Kennedy said: "Congratulations to all of our winners at the C+D Awards 2020, and well done to all of our finalists.

"Last night's awards honoured not only our winners and finalists, but everyone in community pharmacy, who has worked so hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. Well done and thank you to each and every one of you.”

The winners of the COVID HERO – OUTSTANDING TEAM and COVID HERO – OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL awards were voted for by those attending the virtual awards ceremony on the night and announced live at the end of the evening.

Both categories were added to the C+D Awards this year to shine a light on the many members of the community pharmacy sector who have gone the extra mile to support their patients and their wider community in the face of the exceptional pressures created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The winner of COVID HERO – OUTSTANDING TEAM was the group of “pharmacy hero runners” from Day Lewis, who created a running group during the second lockdown to raise items for a hamper that was donated to the Trussell Trust charity.

Scooping both COVID HEROES categories, the Day Lewis group also took home the COVID HERO – OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL trophy, won by Sally Farmer. Ms Farmer has helped ensure the provision of more than 70 private services from her pharmacy for anyone that has found it difficult to access their GP during the pandemic

The full list of C+D Awards 2020 winners is:

• Above and Beyond Award - Shabbir Mellick, Croydon GP Collaborative and Boots, south London
• Business Innovation Award - Fferyllwyr Llyn Cyf 
• Community Pharmacist of the Year - Jackie Lewis, Lewis Pharmacy 
• Health Initiative of the Year - Alphega Pharmacy, Manor Pharmacy Group,ProLongevity “Live Healthy for Longer” Diabetes Prevention Service
• Independent Pharmacy of the Year - Fferyllwyr Llyn Cyf 
• Manager of the Year - Sukhy Somal, PharmaCare Pharmacy
• Online Initiative of the Year - The Locum App 
• Pharmacy Design Award - Lindsay & Gilmour Pharmacy, Cross Pharmacy, Inverkeithing 
• Pharmacy Staff Member of the Year - Kate Grant, LloydsPharmacy
• Pre-Registration Graduate of the Year - Yasmine Haq, Knights Pharmacy  
• Public Health Champion of the Year - Shabbir Mellick, Boots and CGPC 
• Training and Development Award - Tees Local Pharmaceutical Committee 
• Primary Care Partnership Award - McCloys, Kilrea, IMPACTAgewell
• Pharmacy Team of the Year - Well Pharmacy PMR & CF Implementation Team
• COVID HERO – Outstanding Team - Day Lewis pharmacy hero runners
• COVID HERO – Outstanding Individual - Sally Farmer, Day Lewis Pharmacy 

For more information about the C+D Awards 2020, see our awards channel on the C+ Community.