‘Ask Your Pharmacist’ Week

NHS Lincolnshire CCG is encouraging people to use their local pharmacy during national Ask Your Pharmacist Week, which runs from 1 – 8 November.  The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘your local pharmacy can help’, raising awareness of the variety of problems to which community pharmacy has solutions.

Pharmacies are part of the NHS family and the range of clinical services provided by community pharmacies has expanded significantly in recent years – with several more services having come on stream in 2021, and they are also an integral part of the winter vaccination programme.

People’s positive experience of community pharmacy during the coronavirus pandemic has raised expectations of what their local pharmacy can offer them.

Pharmacy teams work with other professionals, such as doctors and nurses, to give you the best possible care as part of the local healthcare team.

Visit your local pharmacy to receive clinical advice and prompt treatment for common illnesses like eye infections, earaches and itchy skin. You can have your blood pressure checked, get advice on taking new medicines or receive guidance on changes to your prescribed medication after leaving hospital.

Pharmacists are experts in the use of medicines, managing minor illnesses and providing health and wellbeing advice. So, for NHS services, convenient access to medicines, support for healthy living and prompt clinical advice, Ask Your Pharmacist!

Dr Dave Baker, GP and South West Lincolnshire Locality Lead, NHS Lincolnshire CCG, said: “While most people go to their pharmacy for medicines and medicines advice, many don’t know about the range of other healthcare services they offer.

“Pharmacists are a uniquely accessible workforce of qualified health professionals who can deliver expert medicines advice and an expanding list of public health services, such as free flu vaccinations, for vulnerable at risk groups.

“They are available without appointment and are able to deal with a wide range of ailments, as well as offering advice on maintaining and improving your health. 

People might be surprised at the services pharmacies now offer, including personalised medicines advice, help to quit smoking, help to maintain good sexual health, treatment for minor ailments and advice on preventing disease.

“The majority of pharmacies now have consultation rooms where you can talk with your pharmacist in private and pharmacists are trained to know when a referral to another health care professional is advisable.”