
Why it matters: The annual awards celebrate the outstanding ways independent community pharmacies improve the health of their local communities across the UK, drawing leading figures from the pharmacy sector, MPs and pharmaceutical executives.
The details: Awards judges were impressed with the way Sharon helps improve patient health and wellbeing. She checks prescriptions, supports the roll-out of patient services and played a significant role in the pharmacy's winter flu and Covid vaccination campaign.
Sharon is also trained in ear microsuction and hypertension monitoring and diagnoses patients with high blood pressure, referring them to GPs for life-changing treatment.
Her ear microsuction service has enabled patients to regain their hearing and proceed with NHS hearing aid referrals.
The bigger picture: The awards heard from Labour MP and former pharmacist Sadik Al-Hassan, who paid tribute to independent pharmacy's ability to reach people in their local communities.
"Independent pharmacies, in particular, offer something unique – continuity of care, local knowledge and genuine personal relationships," he said.
"You know your patients by name. You understand the specific health challenges facing your communities. You adapt your services to meet local needs, whether that's offering home deliveries to housebound patients, providing specialist advice on chronic conditions, or simply being a trusted presence on the high street."
Al-Hassan insisted Labour's "vision for a truly integrated, neighbourhood-based health service" through its 10-year NHS plan "simply cannot succeed" without independent pharmacies.
For context: The Independent Pharmacy Awards take place annually and celebrate excellence in the independent pharmacy sector, honouring pharmacists and their teams who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to patient care, community engagement and innovation.
The bottom line: Sharon's national recognition highlights the vital role pharmacy technicians play in improving patient health and wellbeing in local communities across Ipswich and beyond.
It cost us ~£14 to produce this article
Our content is free to read thanks to the generous support of Start, Build & Grow, Attwells Solicitors and PLMR Genesis

Wanting to start or grow your business in Ipswich?
If you have a business idea you need help launching, or a new business you need support getting established, SBG is a fantastic free programme created just for you.
Attwell Solicitors
An award-winning law firm helping property people and SMEs to grow
PLMR Genesis
PLMR Genesis is a full-service PR and digital marketing agency based in Ipswich. The team is the East of England flagship for PLMR.Ipswich shoplifter back behind bars just months after previous conviction
A man jailed in August for stealing over £1,000 from Ipswich supermarkets is back in prison after being caught stealing again just weeks later, highlighting the challenges of repeat offending in the town centre.Refill shop launches FIND food bank collection on Woodbridge Road
Customers at Unwrapped & Refill in Ipswich can now pick up an extra tin or jar and drop it in a FIND (Families in Need) donation basket, helping Ipswich families facing hardship this Christmas and beyond.Twenty-three years of hope and heartbreak: Why Broomhill Pool campaigners refuse to give up
Despite two failed attempts to secure funding for one of Britain's finest lidos, the Broomhill Pool Trust chairman is urging stakeholders to "finally get the project over the line" – arguing the scheme is ready-made with planning permission, design approval, and unprecedented public support.Nearly 5,000 military homes in East of England set for major upgrade
Armed forces families in nearly 5,000 military homes across the East of England will benefit from a new Defence Housing Strategy that commits £9 billion over the next decade to upgrade and modernise military accommodation.New project aims to shine light on 'unrecorded' disability experiences in Suffolk
A new heritage project will capture the lived experiences of people with disabilities in Suffolk, addressing a gap in historical records while challenging perceptions about inclusion and accessibility in communities today.Start, Build & Grow, Attwells Solicitors and PLMR Genesis

Wanting to start or grow your business in Ipswich?
If you have a business idea you need help launching, or a new business you need support getting established, SBG is a fantastic free programme created just for you.
Attwell Solicitors
An award-winning law firm helping property people and SMEs to grow
PLMR Genesis
PLMR Genesis is a full-service PR and digital marketing agency based in Ipswich. The team is the East of England flagship for PLMR.Over 1,500 Suffolk residents sign petition calling for quieter fireworks
More than 1,500 people across Suffolk have signed a petition urging the government to reduce the maximum noise level for consumer fireworks from 120 to 90 decibels.More than 8,600 Ipswich and Central Suffolk residents sign petition against digital ID cards
Thousands of residents in the Ipswich and Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituencies have signed a parliamentary petition opposing the introduction of digital ID cards, making it the most popular petition in the area.Blues show steel to salvage point against in-form Hornets
Ipswich Town demonstrated their growing resilience on Tuesday night, recovering from an early setback to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw against a Watford side that had hammered second-placed Middlesbrough 3-0 just days earlier.87-year-old veteran leads Ipswich march as Medals2Matches creates space for heroes to share stories
Phil Hubert, 87, performed The Last Post before leading veterans through Ipswich town centre to Portman Road on Tuesday, 4 November, in a moment that captured the spirit of Medals2Matches – an initiative that has helped veterans open up, connect, and speak about their wellbeing for four years.Sackers sells trade waste arm to Biffa
National waste firm Biffa has acquired the trade waste arm of Sackers, a long-established scrap yard and waste management company based near Ipswich, for an undisclosed sum.Start, Build & Grow, Attwells Solicitors and PLMR Genesis

Wanting to start or grow your business in Ipswich?
If you have a business idea you need help launching, or a new business you need support getting established, SBG is a fantastic free programme created just for you.
Attwell Solicitors
An award-winning law firm helping property people and SMEs to grow





