Leaning In

Monday, 23 May 2022

As part of our rebranding process when we left the Unichem Pharmacy group, it was important to us to take a step back and take long hard look at who we are, what we do well and what we can improve on. At the same time we have had some big companies move into the Pharmacy sector to try and eat our lunch. These big companies have numerous strengths: buying power, bigger resources, multiple revenue streams - they're scary to compete with for sure.

But it is also apparent that we need to lean into our strengths. Be authentic and be confident in the services we deliver. What these huge corporations don’t do well - happens to be what we do best. Our experienced staff, the relationships we have built, our long history of providing excellent pharmacy services to our community. Our number one focus has always been our community. We treat them well, and in turn the hope is they become loyal customers. We are 100% committed to our region.

As part of this commitment, our loyalty programme Roslyn Pharmacy Health Points was built around the promise that we will make a donation to a charity that supports our community. Every health point dollar spent is a donation to the ‘community wellness bank’. This quarter, we are making a donation to the Presbyterian Support Foodbank, a worthy charity indeed. As food prices go up, we are seeing more need for their essential services. We're so excited to have raised and will donate $850 to the foodbank this month! And we'll also be helping them with their flu jabs.

Speaking of Flu Jabs… turns out them science fellas were right: we are seeing an upswing in Flu cases this year already. As is usually the case in Dunedin, the sample population of North Dunedin is getting it first, and now we are seeing it up in the hill suburbs. It's tricky this year as the symptoms mirror those of COVID so closely. So it's important to test for COVID if you have any symptoms and continue to practise those habits we have learned during the COVID pandemic which are useful against any virus, including the flu: hand hygiene, mask wearing - they all help. The Flu Vaccine though, is your best bet - and it's one which we highly recommend. There is NO need to book - just pop in to the Pharmacy and we can sort you out. In most cases it’s free if you have any long term conditions or are over the age of 65. Don’t hesitate to be in touch if you have any questions.

Like most business at the moment, we are having some staff absences due to the Omicron wave. Couple this with increased demand on our services, especially our free delivery service - means that work can be a bit of a scramble. We really appreciate your patience while we work through this tricky period - better days ahead and soon!