A PRESTWICH chemist has the prescription for success.

For Prestwich Pharmacy has become the first chemist shop in the borough to be awarded coveted Investor in People (IIP) status.

And the accolade, which is a firm commitment towards staff training and development, was even more of a triumph given the changes the shop has been undergoing.

Prestwich Pharmacy had been located within the Longfield precinct since 1995. But they were forced to move out last July to enable work on the popular thoroughfare to go ahead.

The shop is now based in Fairfax Road but is scheduled to transfer back to the Longfield in the summer of next year.

The shop, which is an independent chemist, employs a staff of 24. It was formed when two former Prestwich chemists, David Kingsley and Hughes Pharmacy, combined.

Manager Mr Fin McCaul said: "To achieve the IIP standard in only 18 months, during which time the business also moved premises, is an amazing reflection on the effort that all concerned have shown".

The business was guided through the process by Business Link North Manchester.

Fin added: "We decided to go for IIP because we believed in the benefits of training staff and staff involvement. And IIP was the means to that end.

"Business Link came in to assess us on the baseline and helped with what we needed to put in place, the focus and direction to move forward".

Commenting on the benefits of Investor in People, Fin added: "The staff are more aware of what we are trying to achieve and are much more involved in things".

Bury's mayor and mayoress, Councillor Wilf Davison and Mrs Maureen Davison, presented Fin and his colleagues with their IIP plaque.