Passage West Pharmacy – Community Always Comes First
In what is Annette Foley’s 15th year at the helm in Passage West Pharmacy, the ethos of community and continuity of care displayed by Annette and staff is stronger than ever. While the village pharmacy in Passage West can trace its roots back over 85 years, current owner Annette has always placed a special focus on forging strong relationships with everyone who comes through the door.
“More than anything”, she explains, ‘Passage West is a community and this is a community pharmacy. Getting to know families and being able to provide that cross generational, continuity of care is key for the staff and myself”, she says. “You’ve got to know who you’re dealing with and everyone who visits us here at the pharmacy is not seen as a “client”, or “patient”, we aim to get to know everyone for who they are”.
Local employment, too, is another value Annette aims to continue at the Pharmacy. “We go between 7 and 9 staff, depending on the time of year”, Annette explains, “ and that includes 3 pharmacists”.
“We have an excellent relationship with local GP’s”, she says, “and all of our local backgrounds helps us to be more responsive to people’s needs, for example, during the bad period of snow and ice last year we initiated a delivery service so people who couldn’t travel to the pharmacy still got their medicines.
Annette Foley, Proprietor, Passage West Pharmacy pictured at her premises in the centre of Passage West. (Picture: Adrian O’Herlihy) June 6th 2019
Originally from Cashel, in Co. Tipperary, Annette knows more than most just how important community focal points are, having been raised in the family pub, which her brother still operates today.
Having moved to Cork in 2004 to buy and run Passage West Pharmacy, Annette has since settled in to become not just a well-known face at the pharmacy, but someone who has become actively involved in the wider community as a whole.
Living locally with her partner, Andrew, and one child, Annette has become an active figure in a host of community and charity events over the years.
At present, she is Chairperson of the Lower Harbour Business Association. “We set it up when the works by Irish Water were a big issue in Passage West, Monkstown and surrounds.”, Annette explains of the organisation.
“The works were quite disruptive and threatened the viability of many businesses”, she says, “so we wanted to get the word out that the area was open for business and needed support”. Annette even spoke at Mass in Monkstown, informing parishioners about closures in Glenbrook and Monkstown.
Annette says that she and others from the Association lobbied Irish Water, “We were in constant communication with Irish Water and our local representatives to make sure that disruption would be kept to a minimum, reducing the dates of closure etc. We got significant movement from Irish Water in the end”, she says.
Community Life In Passage West
Being at one starting point of what Annette says is “the busiest Greenway in Ireland”, known locally as “the line”, Passage West is brimming with activity at present. The Passage West Market on Saturday mornings in Fr. O’Flynn Park is drawing big crowds, as it is fast becoming another popular community hub.
Annette also explains that Cork County Council are currently engaging with colour consultants to enhance the paint scheme available to premises in the town. Already some of this work has taken place, with more ongoing, so here’s to a colourful Summer ahead in Passage West.
Services At Passage West Pharmacy
Aside from the usual supply of medicines, wide array of services are also available at Passage West Pharmacy, including Blood Pressure monitoring, consultations in the private Consultation Room, ear piercing, flu injections, First Aid (both product sales and treatments), and much more.
Thank You
Annette is grateful for the welcome and support she has received in both community and business life over the years. She says, “I’d like to say Thank You you to the local community and say how grateful I am for their support over the years, especially of all the people I’ve gotten to know and enjoyed their company, past and present.”.
Contact:
3 Strand St, Passage West, Co. Cork
Phone: (021) 484 1289
Email: info@passagewestpharmacy.com
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