Guernsey Together spirit is a plus for new chief pharmacist
THE island’s community spirit helped to attract the newly-appointed chief pharmacist to the job.
Beverley Hall is a commissioned army reservist, who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She said some of the values she appreciates in the military are also tangible in Guernsey.
‘Everyone’s been incredibly welcoming and helpful, there’s a great community spirit.
‘I’ve followed the media and the press briefings so I’d heard about Guernsey Together, and now I’ve definitely felt welcomed, even at a distance in my isolation.
‘I think what you find in the military is that sense of community and camaraderie, and what resonates about Guernsey is the Guernsey Together spirit, and I want to be part of that, it maybe gets diluted in the UK in a larger geographical place.’
Mrs Hall has just come out of her compulsory two weeks of isolation after arriving in Guernsey for the first time.
Awareness of the online services and some friendly doorstep drops meant that she survived the quarantine period.
And she was not too fazed about working in a totally new and different location.
‘With my military background I’m used to arriving at places that I’ve never visited before and just pulling up my sleeves and cracking on with my job.
‘My unit is a group of healthcare professionals that have opportunities to do professional and personal development, so I’ve always found being a reservist has been complementary, I’d certainly say it’s helped my civilian role and contributed to some of my resilience during the pandemic.
‘My initial deployment was mostly involved with medical logistics, which is a great ground unit, it gives an understanding where there are constraints of time, storage etc.
‘So when I read about getting the vaccines across from the UK to the Bailiwick, I’ve got an understanding of some of the challenges that might bring because I’ve had to get drugs from the UK to Iraq and Afghanistan.
‘So whilst it’s unique for the Bailiwick, it’s something that I’m familiar with.’
The key priorities now are getting to know the team and embracing the future model of care and the Partnership of Purpose.
‘I think I’m arriving into the island at an exciting time, it’s great to have the chance to be involved in those changes and work towards positive outcomes for patients.
‘I feel proud and really happy to be here and looking forward to the opportunity to make a difference, I know the team have worked really hard, and I want to support the team in my role.’
The newly-approved Nice drugs are another item on the get-to-grips-with list.
‘I’m aware that’s something that’s progressing. Being so new it’s difficult to give an opinion.
‘I know that it’s been accepted and the team are working hard to progress it safely.
It’s bigger than just the drugs being available, it’s making sure that we can do the appropriate monitoring and support patients holistically if those drug treatments are in place.
‘So it will take some time.’
