There’s so much to enjoy about summer - but there are a few little annoyances that spill through with the warmer months, and the more time you spend outside, the more likely you are to encounter the small winged beasts that can ruin your day with a carefully placed bite or sting. Your community pharmacy is stocked up with all sorts of remedies and management to keep itching - and the creatures that cause it - at bay this summer.
If you’re over the age of 40 and under the age of 74, the NHS Health Check programme is designed to help you stay on top of your wellbeing. Some pharmacies will be able to offer you an NHS Health Check - so it’s worth popping into your local pharmacy to see if they can help - or giving them a call. Even if your local pharmacy isn’t providing the NHS Health Check, they may still be able to take your blood pressure.
Runny nose? Itchy eyes? Headache? You could be suffering from hayfever - which is at its worst between March and September, especially when it’s warm and windy. Keep an eye out for high pollen count, and at a time that’s convenient for you, take a trip to your local pharmacy for advice and support.
Did you know that the average person will walk around 100,000 miles in their lifetime? Our feet take on a tough job, and many of us will come up against foot problems at some point in our life. Luckily, your local pharmacy has the tools to help you with footcare - it’s one of the fastest growing categories for pharmacy’s focus.
Cholesterol is important - it serves an important function for your body, helping to maintain your cell membranes and synthesising vitamins and hormones. But when you have too much of it, you’re at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you’re over the age of twenty, you should have your cholesterol levels tested every five years - and your local pharmacy can help.
“Cardiovascular disease is the second most common cause of premature death in England, after cancer, affecting seven million people. One in four premature deaths are caused by CVD, and 1.6 million disability adjusted life years can be attributed to it.”
If you have concerns about the amount of alcohol you’re consuming, your local pharmacy is here to help. Pharmacists are able to provide advice on getting the help you need to reduce your alcohol intake.
Are you worried about your digestive health? Is the period after a meal always uncomfortable? Your local pharmacy can be a valuable resource to help you make up with your gut.
Read MoreLast year, 75% of respondents with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in England revealed that they did not receive their annual inhaler check. A task force made up of patients, carers and healthcare bodies including PSNC and the RPS has stressed that community pharmacies will need funding to provide an essential annual inhaler technique check service.
As the days get increasingly longer and the summer months begin to draw in, you might have a holiday on your mind. Ensure you don’t get caught short by the fit-to-fly rules, and seek out a pharmacy near you offering tests and providing Fit to Fly certificates within 72 hours.
According to The Department of Health and Social Care, prescription charges will be held at £9.35 an item as we move into the 2022/23 financial year, marking the first time in 12 years that costs have been frozen like this.
First announced in the ‘NHS People Plan’, plans to give pharmacists specialist mental health training are soon to be underway as a pilot programme begins at the University of Bradford in April.
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The second of the two new Advanced services to be introduced to community pharmacies this year has officially commenced. This service aims to reduce morbidity and mortality from smoking, reducing health inequalities associated with higher rates of smoking, and ensuing that any patients referred to community pharmacy receive assistance that’s consistent and effective.
Many pharmacy teams are already engaged with providing sexual health, reproductive health and HIV services across the UK - although there are still variations in service delivery, an increasing number of community pharmacies are capable of delivering high quality sexual and reproductive health services.
Developing a problem with your skin can have a negative effect on your life, even if it’s harmless - especially when the skin condition is particularly visible, in areas like your face or hands. In some cases, you might be tempted to visit your GP - but your local pharmacy team are qualified healthcare professions who can offer clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines to help with all sorts of skin problems.
For many, allergies are nothing more than a mild irritation, but for some, they can have an extremely significant impact on daily life.
Getting men to talk about their health can be a challenge - and starting the conversation is something pharmacies are getting better at. Your local pharmacy staff are trained to conduct consultations with empathy, maintaining your dignity throughout and providing a discrete space to talk about common issues like erection problems and hair loss.
It may only be February, but cold weather has a tendency to turn the imagination towards hotter climes, and dreams of getting away might be starting to creep into your day-to-day life. When the time comes to start planning this year’s holiday, don’t forget to factor in a visit to your local pharmacy to get some advice.
“Women are more likely to come and ask for advice or products. They are more open, confident and willing to ask for help and advice when it comes to minor ailments. The most common queries are about thrush, cystitis, insomnia, period pain, and weight loss.”
- Yasmeen Asfar
Vaccinations have become a bit of a hot topic in the last few years, and whilst you’re most likely aware of the fact that you can get your COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters at one of your local pharmacies, you might not know that pharmacists across the UK are making other vaccines convenient and accessible.
Pharmacies are capable of providing vital services that are able to take some of the pressure off the NHS, identifying and treating minor illnesses that would otherwise require the time of a GP and leave individuals with potentially more serious ailments in the waiting room. However, without an injection of more funding, this will soon be something they are unable to do.
Read MoreCOVID-19 has undeniably exacerbated health challenges and inequalities that were already present before the pandemic began, placing a keen focus on the importance of keeping people out of hospital through a combination of health and social care. With the National Health Service challenged to reshape itself around the needs of patients, pharmacies are stepping up to address some of the issues at the heart of the NHS.
Read MorePharmacists are experts in minor health concerns, offering clinical advice and over-the-counter medicines for coughs, colds, sore throats and other aches and pains. At the core of every community, these health-care professionals are ready to step in when they’re needed, but not everybody takes advantage of the ease and expertise of their local pharmacy.
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An interactive directory of pharmacies and pharmacy services, hyper-optimised for Google search.
By grouping pharmacies together online, we create a vast network that boosts both individual member pharmacies and the network itself.