EXCLUSIVE

“Thousands” of people have already voted in a Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) competition to find the nation’s best-loved pharmacist, the organisation has revealed.

RPS president Ash Soni said he was "delighted" with the public response to the second annual I Love My Pharmacist competition yesterday (September 21).

Voting for the competition, which launched in June and is running this year with C+D as its only media partner, will close next Tuesday (September 29).

The votes will determine which of 18 finalists - three from each region of Britain - will become the six regional winners.

Mr Soni encouraged anyone who is yet to vote to visit the competition’s website and back their favourite finalist. Pharmacists should also encourage colleagues, friends and family to vote, he added.

Government recognition

Mr Soni said the 18 finalists are "all being celebrated in their local area", and the RPS highlighted chancellor George Osborne's visit to north of England finalist Mahraz Nickkho-Amiry last Friday (September 18).

The chancellor congratulated Mr Nickkho-Amiry, who is manager of Well Pharmacy in Wilmslow, Cheshire, for reaching the regional finals in his consituency, the RPS said. Mr Osborne stressed that Mr Nickkho-Amiry "really deserves" his nomination and that it is "absolutely right to recognise...[that] pharmacists provide a crucial service" through the competition, the RPS said.

Mr Nickkho-Amiry said it was “an honour” to meet Mr Osborne, because it offered him an opportunity to “talk him through the role of pharmacists as an integral part of every local health service”, the RPS reported. 

Six regional winners will be announced on October 13. The competition’s overall winner will be chosen by a panel of judges – including C+D editor Jennifer Richardson and last year’s winner Reena Barai – and announced on November 3. 

Last month (August 25), the Department of Health responded to the competition by encouraging patients to visit their local pharmacy. Pharmacy minister minister Alistair Burt said at the time that the sector is a “major resource” for the health service.
 

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