Southampton pharmacist Kristen Watt has won the Ontario Pharmacist of the Year Award.
The award is presented by the Ontario Pharmacy Association to a pharmacist who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in all areas of pharmacy practice.
Watt says she’s, “Incredibly honoured, humbled and overwhelmed to receive this recognition.”
She adds, “This is a shared award between myself and my staff. I have the greatest technicians, assistants and students in the world and everybody worked so hard through the early stages of the pandemic and to get us where we are now.”
One of Watt’s Pharmacist Technicians, Sheena Deane nominated her, writing, “Kristen is a true pharmacist.” Her nominator highlighted Watt’s focus on patient care, and her work as a consultant pharmacist for Chapman House Residential Hospice of Grey Bruce. Deane says during the pandemic, Watt was on the Grey Bruce Vaccine Distribution Task Force and made a number of national media appearances to talk about topics ranging from testing and vaccination to pharmacist burnout.
Deane highlighted the opportunities Watt offers to co-op students and her recent lectures given at the University of Toronto and the University of Waterloo. Watt was also applauded for her work to keep local Opioid Antagonist Therapy (OAT) programs going during the pandemic, working with social workers and local clinics to ensure people had access to their medications. Deane says Watt is working to expand that program. She also collaborated with Saugeen First Nation to provide continued treatment for those in an OAT program.
Deane also highlighted Watt’s work with local home care programs to provide blister packs to those who don’t have family support.
Watt held a drive-through COVID-19 booster shot clinic Watt’s pharmacy held that saw a huge turnout with about 1200 doses given out with the help of technicians, nurses, pharmacists and doctors. “We were really proud of it. That was a true community effort,” says Watt.
Watt says over the coming years, there will be a refocus on primary care, “For the last two years we’ve really focused on the pandemic, as we should have, COVID is still a thing, but it’s not the only thing and if you want to talk about your diabetes or your high blood pressure or your family’s health in any way shape or form, your pharmacist is here for that as we refocus on keeping people well through whatever comes.”
She recently renovated her pharmacy which is located on Highway 21 in Southampton to allow for pharmacist offices and a dedicated injection room.
Watt also recently consulted with the Ontario Science Table on their documents for COVID treatments and now sits on a task force for Ontario Health to help refocus the healthcare system on pandemic recovery in rural settings.
Watt has plans to travel to Africa in September to help a community in Zambia alongside a few doctors and nurses through International Needs Canada. She will be going for two weeks. She also plans to take vitamins and other supplies for the roughly 800 patients in the community. “I think there’s so much good that we can do and I’m really fortunate to be able to make this trip with this group, to make a difference,” says Watt.
You’ll be able to donate at the pharmacy’s cash register if you would like to contribute to the supplies Watt will be taking for those patients.
Award winners are selected by the OPA Governance and Nominating Committee and it is subject to confirmation by the OPA board of Directors.
