When to use your Community Pharmacy
If you have a minor illness, such as a cold, an upset stomach or general aches and pains, your local community pharmacy is the first place you should go for advice. Your local pharmacist or a trained member of the pharmacy team will give you advice and provide medicine if needed. They may refer you to another healthcare professional if they feel your condition needs further investigation or more specialist care. Find out more at https://www.nhsinform.scot/care-support-and-rights/nhs-services/pharmacy/nhs-pharmacy-first-scotland/.
Appointments are not usually needed and pharmacists can also provide some medicines if required.
People can also prepare for public holidays by checking repeat prescriptions and supplies of essential medications.
NHS 24 also has a number of pharmacists who are able to answer medicine and pharmacy-related questions over the telephone on 111. In addition, NHS inform has valuable advice on how to prepare visit – http://www.nhsinform.scot.
Your community pharmacist can:
- prescribe medication for you following a consultation, under the Pharmacy First service;
- treat many women from age 16 for urinary tract infections under the Pharmacy First service*;
- treat many patients for impetigo under the Pharmacy First service*;
- treat patients over 18 for skin infections including infected insect bites under the Pharmacy First service*;
- treat patients over 18 for shingles under the Pharmacy First service*;
- provide your repeat prescriptions when your GP is not available (under certain circumstances);
- give women advice and supply emergency hormonal contraception;
- dispense prescriptions;
- give advice, support and where appropriate, prescribe nicotine replacement therapy to those giving up smoking;
- hold records of your medicines to ensure that the safety of any future medication is checked;
- provide a private area to discuss sensitive issues;
- give you advice over the telephone; and
- give you advice on the best way to take your medicines.
(*where they meet certain criteria)
Many pharmacies also offer:
- advice on travel health;
- pregnancy testing;
- collection and delivery of prescriptions;
- supervised methadone supply; and
- needle exchange.