When Gareth Hughes took ownership of Tynewydd Pharmacy in October 2022, he saw both a challenge and an opportunity.
The pharmacy had served its community for many years, but its premises needed considerable attention, staffing was limited and relatively few of the newer clinical pharmacy services were being provided.
Gareth's ambition was not simply to modernise the building. He wanted to create a pharmacy where patients could receive a much wider range of healthcare, delivered by a confident and highly skilled local team.
Building the foundations
The first priority was to improve the pharmacy for patients and staff.
Repairs and improvements made the premises brighter, safer and more welcoming. The consultation room was returned to clinical use and equipped to support pharmacist prescribing and private healthcare services.
Investment in the team was equally important. Additional experienced staff were recruited, training opportunities were expanded and greater emphasis was placed on ensuring that every team member could develop their skills and contribute meaningfully.
The aim was to create a positive working culture in which people felt supported, valued and confident enough to keep learning.
Bringing more healthcare into the community
With the right foundations in place, Tynewydd Pharmacy began expanding its clinical role.
The pharmacy developed strong referral relationships with GP practices, optometrists, other community pharmacies and hospital teams. Patients increasingly began using the pharmacy not only to collect medicines, but also as a first point of contact for clinical advice and treatment.
The team now delivers an extensive range of NHS services, including the Common Ailments Service, pharmacist prescribing, contraception, emergency medicines, discharge medicines reviews, smoking cessation and seasonal influenza vaccination.
A growing health clinic also provides services including travel health, weight management, ear microsuction, private vaccinations and vitamin B12 assessment.
Together, the team has delivered many thousands of NHS clinical consultations and interventions.
Developing a more connected model of care
One of the most significant developments has been an innovative pathway supporting patients with urinary tract infections.
The pathway combines pharmacist assessment and prescribing with microbiological urine testing and access to shared clinical information through the Welsh Clinical Portal. It also enables communication between the pharmacy, microbiology teams and local GP practices.
This more connected approach supports informed prescribing, appropriate follow-up and better continuity between different parts of the healthcare system.
It is one example of Tynewydd Pharmacy's wider objective: helping patients receive appropriate care locally while working closely with other healthcare professionals.
Recognition for the pharmacy's transformation
In 2024, Tynewydd Pharmacy was named Business Development of the Year at the Welsh Pharmacy Awards.
The award recognised the progress made since 2022, including investment in the premises, development of the pharmacy team, considerable growth in clinical-service provision and the creation of stronger links with local healthcare providers.
The following year, the pharmacy received the Welsh Pharmacy Award for Improvements in Service Delivery Within Independent Community Pharmacy.
This second award reflected the next stage of the journey: moving beyond transformation to develop an innovative and sustainable model of community-based healthcare.
Recognition for individual members of the team
The pharmacy's development has also created opportunities for members of the team to expand their professional roles.
Pharmacy technician Emma Williams has received four major awards. In 2024, she was named Pharmacy Technician of the Year at both the Welsh Pharmacy Awards and Independent Pharmacy Awards and received the Outstanding Contribution Award at the Recognition of Excellence Awards.
In 2025, she was named Pharmacy Technician of the Year at the C+D Awards.
Also in 2025, owner and pharmacist Gareth Hughes was named Independent Pharmacist of the Year at the UK-wide Independent Pharmacy Awards.
Although these are individual honours, both Gareth and Emma see them as recognition of a wider team effort.
What the awards mean to us
Awards provide welcome recognition, but they are not how we measure success.
Success is a patient receiving timely treatment close to home. It is someone being able to discuss their health in Welsh if that is the language in which they feel most comfortable. It is a member of the pharmacy team developing the skills and confidence to take on a more advanced role.
Most importantly, it is earning the trust of the community we serve.
Tynewydd Pharmacy will continue to invest in its people, premises and services. Our aim remains the same as it was at the beginning of the journey: to combine the personal care of a trusted local pharmacy with the standards and capabilities of a modern healthcare clinic.
Independent healthcare. Close to home.