A community pharmacist in Hull “renowned for his exceptional service” has been shortlisted for the 2024 NHS Parliamentary Awards in October, NHS England (NHSE) recently announced (September 5). 

Late Night Pharmacy’s superintendent Anthony Hutchinson is nominated as the North East and Yorkshire candidate for the Lifetime Achievement Award which honours those who have worked in “a health or care setting for 40 years or more who has left a legacy” and “have left it a better service for patients and/or a better place to work for those who will follow them”, said NHSE. 

The 43-year career pharmacist was nominated by one of his customers, the Labour MP for Kingston upon Hull East Karl Turner, and the awards shortlist describes Hutchinson as “dedicated” and “a pillar of his community”. 

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“Renowned for his exceptional service, he played a pivotal role in administering COVID-19 vaccines in his area. 

“Anthony’s unwavering commitment to health and wellness has made him a trusted and respected figure in his community”, NHSE added. 

The Lifetime Achievement award seeks to honour those who have: 

• shown enduring commitment to the values of the NHS; 

• championing diversity and inclusion at work and in how the NHS treats patients; 

• leading improvements in care or working conditions in challenging circumstances; 

• simply bringing a smile to patients’ faces day in, day out. 

Hutchinson started off as a pre-registration pharmacist at “the big Boots in Leeds” before working in hospital pharmacy and for the past 16 years, he’s been based at Late Night Pharmacy in Hull. 

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He helped to vaccinate “over 50,000 people for Covid-19” and had to change how the pharmacy was set up to do this, and he told C+D “for an independent community pharmacy, I think that was pretty good”. 

Supported by his wife and three daughters, Hutchinson said he “likes the job [and] mixing with people and helping is great” and he felt proud when he heard Turner had nominated him. 

The NHS Parliamentary Awards began in 2018 so local MPs, health and care organisations can “celebrate and recognise the outstanding contribution of staff, volunteers and others working in the health and care sector”, said NHSE. 

MPs nominate healthcare teams and individuals in their local area, with “318 MPs putting forward 918 nominations across England – up over 160 on the previous year” before one nominee in each of the ten award categories is selected for the national shortlist, NHSE added. 

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NHS England National Medical Director and Chair of the NHS Parliamentary Awards 2024 National Judging Panel Professor Sir Stephen Powis said “it is fantastic to see so many examples of exceptional care and innovation being delivered by healthcare staff across the country in this year’s national shortlist. 

“I would like to thank MPs for highlighting so many examples of outstanding healthcare in their local communities”, he added.

The winners will be announced at the award ceremony at the QEII Centre, Westminster on Monday, 14 October 2024.