As well as dispensing medicines all pharmacies provide the following additional services.
Disposing of old medicines
If your medicine is out of date or unwanted, do not put it in the bin or flush it down the toilet. Take it to your pharmacy to be disposed of safely.
Help with new medicines
When you start a new medicine for a long-term condition you can have up to 3 appointments with a pharmacist to:
- answer any questions you have
- help you use the medicine safely
- make sure that the medicine’s right for you
- get help with newly prescribed medicines
Promoting healthy lifestyles
Giving advice and promoting health advice by having available a range of leaflets provided by the NHS
Signposting
Pharmacies can help people who ask for assistance by directing them to the most appropriate source of help.
Some pharmacies also provide the following additional services. To check if this is available at your local pharmacy, visit https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy
Pharmacy Contraception Service
Pharmacists can continue your supply of oral contraception without having to return to your medical practice for a repeat prescription and can also commence the supply of an oral contraceptive pill if needed. Both services are available free on the NHS.
Emergency contraception
Some pharmacies offer the emergency contraceptive pill for free on the NHS.
Get a free NHS blood pressure check
Some pharmacies offer a free blood pressure check for people over 40 years of age, or at the discretion of pharmacy staff for people under the age of 40, with high blood pressure (who have previously not had a confirmed diagnosis of hypertension) and can then refer them to their general practice to confirm diagnosis and for appropriate management.
Your GP may also refer you to your pharmacy blood pressure clinic for blood pressure testing and ambulatory blood pressure measurements.
NHS seasonal flu vaccination service
Each year from the autumn through to March, the NHS runs a seasonal flu vaccination campaign in pharmacies aiming to vaccinate all patients who are at risk of developing more serious complications from the virus.
Urgent medicine supply (referral only)
For patients on certain repeat prescriptions who find they have run out of their medication they can be referred into a community pharmacy for an urgent supply on the NHS.
The patient has to be referred into this service from organisations such a NHS 111, A&E and UECs
Other services that that may be available at a local pharmacy include:
- Advice and help on how to stop smoking
- HIV testing (South Cumbria)
- Hospital discharge service
- Minor ailments service
- Palliative care
- Sexual health
- Help to stop smoking
- Substance misuse service, including needle and syringe exchange schemes