A DUDLEY pharmacist is in the running to win a top award.

Olutayo Arikawe, manager at The Priory Community Pharmacy, has been shortlisted as a regional finalist for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s I Love My Pharmacist Award.

The 39-year-old now needs the public vote to progress to the next stage of the competition, which recognises pharmacists who go the extra mile for patients.

When Olutayo joined the Priory Road pharmacy in 2012, she was determined to make a difference.

She soon started to organise training for her team so they could carry out health promotions in the wider community and has been involved in many other interventions to help patients improve their health, from organising annual health funfairs to supporting alcohol dependent patients.

She is also a visiting lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton, giving career advice and offers work placements for their students.

Olutayo said: “It is a great honour to be selected in the I Love My Pharmacist Award. I am very passionate about improving the health of patients in the community, which is why my team and I always put the patient first, no matter what their situation is.

“It gives me enormous pleasure to help people make positive lifestyle changes; this is fundamentally why I get involved in so many different interventions.”

Ash Soni, Royal Pharmaceutical Society president, added: “The I Love My Pharmacist Award demonstrates just how vital pharmacists are to every local health service as we showcase and celebrate the many different and vital roles they perform across the NHS.

"Pharmacists help patients take their medicines better, treat minor ailments and make life-saving interventions, as well as offering many other services.

To cast a vote for Olutayo, visit www.ilovemypharmacist.co.uk before voting closes on July 21.