To urge people to use local Phamacies before we lose them

[Oldsu]

They are looking at closing local Pharmacies here on the Island and if my experience is anything to go by it will be a sad loss.

I have urge incontinence and take medication for it, ran out of medication so it came back with a vengeance that's ok I can live with that however I got a urinary infection which was causing me problems

Thinking it was cystitis although I have not had that for 30 years I went to get some over the counter stuff at a small independent chemist but as I am taking medication for Arthritis and Underactive Thyroid I thought it best to check for any problems.

Good thing I did the assistant asked if I wanted to see the Pharmacist and I was ushered into a consulting room with a pleasant young man.

After asking a few questions and looking me up on his computer he prescribed 3 days worth of antibiotics - no charge as I am over 60, he said he would email my GP to let them know

No doubt the big boys like Boots and LLoyds over the same service but my Boots is always busy and it seems more like a production line then a tailored personal service, my DH who uses Boots repeat prescription service has had endless problems

We need to cherish our independent Pharmacies otherwise we will lose them I will be using this one in the future.

[TudorHouse]

I, strangely, never thought that pharmacists could prescribe!

Good tip though and I shall investigate our local one.

To support your pharmacies closing down story though... our local children's development center has stopped giving scripts out to take to your local and now only sends them through to the hospital instead. It is a total pain and I imagine the pharmacies are losing out on that extra business of oh I will pick you up some x y z while I am here type sales as you then just go to a regular supermarket for the calpol instead.

[GilMartin]

Where I live there's so many chemists in such a small area, I'm amazed they keep going. There's a steady stream of methodone users (it is in an area renowned for heroin use in Scotland), but I can't imagine they make many secondary purchases and the chemists all have to pay for security guards on the doors and other security measures to stop them getting robbed.

[DailyFail1]

I tried to use independents to find Clomid (fairly common fertility med) a while ago in a big city & went to 20 places before I finally gave up and went to Boots. The independents wouldnt even order in as I wasn't a regular and didn't live in the area. Boots had it in stock. Since then I've always used Boots.

[Wigbert]

My local independent pharmacy is small dark and uninviting so I always go to Boots across the road. I don't know how it keeps going.

[SquirmOfEels]

My local independent pharmacy became a Lloyds

[PickAChew]

Our village pharmacy is part of a local chain and is always busy. I get my prescriptions from there, but end up going to asda for ds1's as they often can't get hold of it, while asda always keep it in stock if they know there's a demand for it, and if they don't have it, can order in quite quickly.

[Deux]

Our local pharmacies all do really well. One stocks some French skincare brands like La Roche Posay, Vichy etc at prices that are competitive with online retailers.

There are plans for pharmacists to take over some more aspects of primary care so I don't think there's going to be widespread closures.

[LivingOnTheDancefloor]

I agree OP.

My pharmacist is great, I was about to buy some Calpol for my DC and he suggesting signing up to the Minor ailment scheme and get the equivalent for free. I doubt Boots would have done that...

Also, I can send the pharmacy an email asking for a repeat prescription and he will forward it to the GP, get the prescription and prepare the order. Really convenient.

[EdithWeston]

What I like about my local is that the pharmacist sees guidelines on sale of paracetamol as exactly that - guidelines. So unlike 'the till says no' which (rightly) prevents sales at other outlets, they'll see snot-ridden DC (plural) and parent, realise it's Friday, talk to me and then sell me 2x calpol, 1 x paediatric nurofen, 1 x lemsip and 1 x adult nurofen.

[Strongmummy]

The onus is also on local pharmacies to invite more people to use them however. E.g. Advertise the more personal service, stock more niche product etc...etc.....It's the same with all local shops competing with the big boys. You have to change your business model as you'll always be undercut on price

[glenthebattleostrich]

I think I'm in the minority here but my local pharmacy is brilliant.

As well as prescription ( they ring me to check if I've enough inhaler if they are going to be closed for any reason) they also happily ordered products I like, DDs shampoo brand and my hair colour :)

They are a proper community pharmacy and work hard to keep relevant for want of a better term.

[SixtiesChildOfWildBlueSkies]

My local pharmacy is brilliant too. I order my repeats online, and they have it ready and waiting for me in no more than 24 hours, and always phone/text/voicemail me to say it's ready to pick up.

They are always happy to discuss any questions I have re any product they sell, and they work so hard - opening 7am - 9pm.

[lovelearning]

a proper community pharmacy

www.gov.uk/government/publications/putting-community-pharmacy-at-the-heart-of-the-nhs

[Pingles]

My local pharmacy opens 9-5 so I can never get there and then shuts for a day in the week too.

Easier to go to Boots

[FranHastings]

I was really impressed with my local pharmacy yesterday. They saved me a trip to the Dr's for a minor ailment DD has. I avoid going to the Dr's unless absolute emergency, so will definitely be going back there.

[MackerelOfFact]

Community pharmacists are hugely under-used full stop. They should nearly always be the first port of call for any minor illness or ailment, not the GP.

[JennyOnAPlate]

I agree with you in theory but my local
Independent chemist never has what I need in stock. Last time 6 year old dd had an ear infection they didn't even have penicillin. They could order it if I come back tomorrow though

[Burntbum]

I really try to support my local pharmacy but I'm no longer going to use it. I have been unable to take my correct dose of medication since before Christmas as the pharmacy did not order it correctly. After sorting it out with my doctor's surgery this week I went in yesterday to collect it but was told they couldn't dispense it as the pharmacist wasn't in. I went back this morning and they no longer have the tablets in stock. The delivery will arrive at 4pm but I will be unable to go back and get it then. They are closed on Saturday and Monday so it will be Tuesday at the earliest and over three weeks on the wrong dose! I'm giving up and using the big chains in the next town.

[tinyterrors]

Our local pharmacy is a mixed bag tbh. They're great for repeats prescriptions and always have it ready for collection. However they're not so great with less common medications, even some antibiotics, and can only order it in for the next day which isn't great.

There's a Boots pharmacy attached to the gp surgery. They can order things in for later that day if it's before 2pm and tend to have at least a couple of days supply of most medications in that I've needed. They're crap at repeat prescriptions though and haven't give me all the medications I've ordered before as they'd been put in a second bag which they then couldn't find and couldn't give again without another prescription.

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

I do but I get fed up with them not having what I want. I always have to go back to get my pill prescription but the best one was when they ran out of paracetamol but could order it if I wanted them to!

The other one is a bit better, although the pharmacist told me I had a stomach bug and needed probiotics when I actually had gallstones and pancreatitis. Needless to say I won't ask them for advice!

[Pilgit]

I would love to use my local pharmacy but as it is unbelievably shit I rarely do. They rarely have enough of my meds in and then it can take weeks to get them - these aren't unusual meds and as I have been on them every month that for the past 15 years it has been a fairly predictable pattern. I now don't bother with them and use sainsburys instead. It hurts as I greatly support high streets but I can't be without my meds or with the anxiety their crapness has caused over the years.

[MrsBernardBlack]

Too late for me sadly . I always used our local pharmacy, but it was taken over by a well known chain about a year ago. They ripped out the beautiful Victorian shop fittings, and when I asked them if they had any ammonia, they had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.

I really admire the French for their strong protection policy towards their pharmacies.