ASK THE DOC: How our pharmacies can help take some of the strain
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Q. I keep hearing that my pharmacy can help me when my GP is shut. What sort of things can they help with?
A. NHS Pharmacy First Scotland is an NHS service provided by your local community pharmacy.
If you have a minor illness, a pharmacy is the first place you should go for advice.
You do not usually need an appointment and you can go to any pharmacy.
Your local pharmacist or a trained member of the pharmacy team will give you advice and provide medicine if needed. They may need to refer you to another healthcare professional such as your GP practice, dentist, optometrist or another NHS service if they feel your condition needs further investigation or more specialist care.
Community pharmacists can provide a number of very useful services. Your pharmacist has had years of training and is an expert in management of medicine related issues and also assessment and management of minor injuries and illness. When you go to the pharmacy they may:
ask you about your symptoms
refer you to another healthcare professional (for example, your GP) if they think this is necessary
give you advice on your condition
provide medication (if you need it)
set up a Patient Medication Record (PMR) to make a note of any advice and treatment they give you
You can ask to use the pharmacy’s consultation area or room if you want to speak to the pharmacist in private.
With Covid-19, there may be restrictions in place and opening hours may vary so visiting Scotland’s Service Directory first may provide advice on local opening hours: https://www.nhsinform.scot/scotlands-service-directory.
Visit www.nhsinform.scot and search for “Pharmacy First” for more information.
