From ellaOne to Maloff Protect, and Viagra Connect, pharmacist Anna Maxwell explains what makes a POM to P change successful and why pharmacy teams should “embrace” medicine switches to encourage more investment in the sector.

It was his mother’s passion for being a midwife that encouraged Malcolm Harrison to seek a job in healthcare, but it was the “buzz” of an eight-week placement with Boots that forged his career in community pharmacy.

C+D news editor Grace Lewis spoke to Mr Harrison – now chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), which represents the UK’s largest multiples and supermarket pharmacies – about his career journey and his tips for staying motivated along the way.

After failing his pre-registration exam by 1%, Well Pharmacy relief manager Haroon Mahmood has found success in approaching problems in his local community, such as loneliness, with a personal touch.

Find out what he did after winning C+D’s Above and Beyond Award.

If you know someone who deserves to win a C+D Award visit chemistanddruggist.co.uk/awards.

Simon Harris, head of education and training at Green Light Campus – the training arm of Green Light Pharmacy – tells C+D clinical editor Kristoffer Stewart about the performance standards pre-regs generally struggle with and how they can ensure they are getting the right support as they approach the upcoming exam.

From this podcast you will find out about:

• What is the purpose of the 26-week appraisal?

• How important is a training plan for the coming months?

• Should you be revising or simply completing your performance standards?

• What should tutors be doing to help their students?

• How can you best use your time during your placement?

• Can pre-regs benefit from social media and are there any pitfalls?

In the C+D Salary Survey 2018, 35% of UK contractors said they had cut their training budget over the previous 12 months – as a direct result of the economic challenges affecting the sector. Given these financial restrictions, what’s the business case for pharmacy owners to continue to invest in staff training?

C+D deputy editor Lilian Anekwe spoke to Deborah Evans and Michael Holden, managing director and principal associate of the C+D Award-winning training provider Pharmacy Complete. Since 2009, they have worked with others to create healthy living pharmacies, and they explain the benefits of embracing, and investing in, the preventative health movement.

What advice should you provide to patients who are interested in taking probiotics? Is a liquid or solid dosage form superior? Is there evidence behind the use of probiotics? Should you stock them in your pharmacy?

C+D clinical editor Kristoffer Stewart spoke to Professor Simon Gaisford from University College London's school of pharmacy, to find out more about the appropriate use of probiotics, what advice you can provide patients and his latest research into probiotic therapy.

Whether it’s filling in as a delivery driver or fixing the pharmacy’s broken air conditioning unit, dispenser Victoria Bull has shown her worth time and again. Find out what it took to win the coveted Pharmacy Staff Member of the Year trophy.

If you know someone who deserves to win a C+D Award visit chemistanddruggist.co.uk/awards.

Whether you want to learn or network, many pharmacists are benefiting from the online opportunities available on Facebook, Twitter and Telegram.

C+D clinical editor Kristoffer Stewart spoke to Babir Malik, community pharmacist, teacher practitioner and social media guru, to find out his advice experiences for navigating the benefits and potential pitfalls of online networking.

Alpana Mair, head of effective prescribing and therapeutics at the Scottish government, spoke to C+D about what polypharmacy is and how the community pharmacy teams can help reduce the medicines burden for their patients.

Find out more at www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/update-plus-detail

What made Helen Pinney move from community pharmacy to GP practice, and what does her new role involve?

C+D clinical editor Kristoffer Stewart spoke to Helen Pinney, senior pharmacy technician for the Argyle Health Group, to find out more about her current role, her professional journey and her advice for other technicians considering a similar career move.