CAMstart celebrates 20th year

CAMstart Pharmacy proprietor Catherine McDonald is a third generation family business owner in Narrabri. Below, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the business, Mrs McDonald-Browne recalls the successful journey to 2024.

My family has been in business in Narrabri for over 75 years starting with my grandfather Gordon McDonald who passed the business on to my father John McDonald.

I was born in Narrabri and attended the local primary and high schools. I knew in Year Eight that I wanted to be a pharmacist as a result of a wonderful science teacher, Mr Wilsmore at Narrabri High School.

I completed my final years of schooling at Kinross Wolaroi in Orange as a boarder after the travel back and forth everyday to St Mary’s High School in Gunnedah became difficult with the increasing schoolwork workload.

I undertook work experience in Year 10 at Bruce Ireland’s Pharmacy. I worked every school holidays in the family business until I began university in 1999 at Sydney University.

This retail experience was invaluable in preparing myself for the many customer interactions and verbal exams during my pharmacy degree.

While attending Sydney university I worked in a number of pharmacies including Harrison’s Pharmacy at Broadway and Burwood Amcal Pharmacy where I learnt valuable skills.

I also worked at Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the leading pharmacy manufacturers, where I got to detail GPs on new products, many of which I now dispense on a daily basis.

During the university holidays I worked at Justin Flannery Pharmacy, Narrabri, and this is where I completed my registration year.

After passing my final written and oral pharmacy board examination I was registered on February 11, 2004 and purchased the pharmacy I had worked in for the past five years on June 11 2004, aged 23.

This made me the youngest female to own a pharmacy on her own in NSW and one of the youngest in Australia. As far as I am aware I still hold the above record.

In 2005 CAMstart Pharmacy became a member of Amcal which meant we could improve and increase our offerings to customers through a loyalty program and catalogue distribution. We had some minor refurbishments in October and November 2005 which gave the pharmacy a new look and feel.

In September 2005 I met my husband Martin Browne, a local boy and stalwart of the Narrabri Blue Boars Rugby Union Club who joined me a year later in the business.

In 2010 Martin and I were married at St Cyprian’s Anglican Church.

In 2013 we had our first child Carrington and our second child Quade in 2014. The two of them can often be spotted at the pharmacy on a Saturday morning or after hours helping mum and dad.

In May/June 2019 after many years of planning CAMstart Amcal Pharmacy had a significant face lift to ensure we were moving with the times and catering for the communities ever changing needs.

Our new look pharmacy now offers three consult rooms where we can offer many services from sleep apnoea screening, respiratory screening, diabetes HBA1c screening, heart health checks and coeliac screening.

We also have a parents’ room with nappy change and feeding facilities.

This room in particular we saw as a necessity for the community to offer parents a safe environment in a convenient location to attend to their children’s needs.

Parents can also weigh and measure their baby as well.

As more and more people are actively wanting to maintain their health we have expanded some key areas in the pharmacy to accommodate these growing needs.

Our natural medicine category is extensive with us stocking a large range of these leading brands including Ethical Nutrients, Metagenics and Bioceuticals. Complimenting the natural medicines we have also expanded our skincare ranging.

The pharmacy has expanded its baby ranges to better serve the community’s needs with the loss of Target. Some of the ranges currently stocked include Sophie the Giraffe, Tommee Tippee, Medela and Sheridan Baby which is the first official bed linen partner of SIDS and KIDS. We also stock Playgro and Tooky Toys which are some of the leading brands recommended for toddlers play and development.

Over the last 20 years our pharmaceutical product selection has diversified to ensure we are still meeting our customers needs however we still have all the leading brands we have come to be known for stocking.

We are always available to answer any of your questions or give advice on any of your healthcare needs.

With winter sports well underway Martin’s 20 years-plus experience as a qualified sports trainer can assist you with all your sports medicine needs or niggly injuries so you can keep on the field.

We have an extensive fragrance and gift offering for which we have become known for that is always evolving and now includes licensed Disney products and the Royal Essence bath and candle range – so we are very confident that you are sure to find a product for anyone of any age here at CAMstart Pharmacy.

We truly have all your needs under one roof.

In the last 18 months we were one of the first pharmacies selected to be involved in the trial of pharmacists prescribing antibiotics for urinary tract infections in women and the contraceptive pill.

The trials proved so successful that these are now permanent offerings in our pharmacy.

In early July the pharmacy will also be participating in the trial whereby pharmacists will be able to prescribe medications for certain skin conditions.

Our offering of vaccinations in the pharmacy has also expanded.

On June 11 we celebrated 20 years in business in Narrabri and are very proud to be supporting the local community in every way we can as we have done so since the very start.

We have been available and accessible, ready to offer support and care to our local community over these past 20 years even through the very uncertain and challenging times of Covid.

Over the 20 years the pharmacy has had many accomplishments including being acknowledged by Narrabri chamber of Commerce for various awards, Leapp (Leadership, Engagement, Analytics, People and Physicals) Excellence and Innovation in pharmacy award and QCPP accredited. Two of our interns were finalists for Intern of the year with one going on to be announced as Pharmacist Intern of the Year.

However out of all these many acknowledgements our greatest accomplishment is having the pleasure of seeing our customers families grow and now serving the next generations.
We thank Narrabri and district for their support over the last 20 years and look forward to serving you for many years to come with the same professional and expert advice that you have come to trust and we appreciate you being an integral part of our extended family.

Catherine and Martin and the CAMstart Amcal team are your health care experts and are here to help. Remember CAMstart Pharmacy is your family pharmacy with all your needs catered for under our one roof.