Otaki TodayThe Lower Hutt couple about to take over Hamish Barham Pharmacy are excited about the prospect of joining the Ōtaki community.
Bob and Jo Buckham will become the new owners officially on November 1, but intend to spend the previous week getting to know the pharmacy staff and systems.
Bob and Jo Buckham, who take over Hamish Barham Pharmacy on November 1. Photo supplied
For both of them the opportunity offered when the Ōtaki pharmacy became available ticked all the boxes.
“It was the exact type of pharmacy and location that got us into the profession,” Bob says. “We’re both from small rural towns and a pharmacy like this that’s independent and has a real path of care for the community is what we were looking for.
“We’re excited at the opportunity.”
Jo grew up in Waihi, Coromandel; Bob in the Taranaki town of Waitara. For the next couple of years the couple will commute from Lower Hutt, allowing their youngest daughter to finish her secondary education at her current school.
“When she goes on to university or wherever she chooses, then we’re definitely looking at moving up.”
They don’t see the commute as impeding their ability to connect with their local clients and the community.
“We keen to be not just be present in Ōtaki for the pharmacy, but also be part of the community – coming along to events and so on. We’re not the sort of people who just clock in and clock out.
“We want to learn as many names as we can and get to know people so we can help as best we can with their care.”
It’s the first pharmacy Jo and Bob have owned, though both have worked as pharmacists through their career. Jo has a community pharmacy background and is currently working at Taita Pharmacy in Lower Hutt; Bob has worked in hospital pharmacies and is currently with Hauora Māori Services at Te Whatu Ora/Health NZ.
Bob says they have plenty of ideas for their new venture, but will spend some time looking at how things work now. They’re aware that some people in the community have been asking for the pharmacy to open for at least some time at the weekends.
“We’ll be looking at that,” he says. “We want to know why they want that service – is it that they need to pick up prescriptions because they’re working during the week, or access to the retail, or to be able to come in and get some medicines? We need to work that out.”
All staff will be retained, and depending on how the pharmacy might grow, more local people might be employed.
“We also want to look at how we might be able to advance the idea of a pharmacy career, and we’re keen to connect with the college and Wānanga and have students come in for some work experience. Those studying for health-related careers might want to know what being a pharmacy is all about.”
Meantime, long-time Ōtaki pharmacists Hamish Barham and Ian Barr are to retire, leaving their duties to Jo and Bob.
It’s the first time the pharmacy on the corner of Main Street and Aotaki Street has changed hands for more than 30 years. It was previously Bob Lithgow Pharmacy, and was bought by Hamish in 1991.
OTHER STORIES
... loading ...
