Your Local Community Pharmacy
Community Pharmacists - Your Medicines Experts
Pharmacists are medicines experts who can offer you advice about your healthcare needs and support you to take your medicines in the safest most effective way.
Your pharmacist is committed to delivering a professional, personalised service that puts you first.
Whatever your medicines queries consult with your pharmacist and get advice you know you can trust.
What your Pharmacist does with your Prescription
When a prescription is handed in at the counter, your pharmacist ensures that:
- The medicine, dose and formulation are right for you;
- The medicine is available and in stock;
- The medicine will not react with anything else you are taking;
- You are provided with information to help you use your medicine safely; and
- Your individual medication record is updated as appropriate.
They will check your eligibility under the community drug schemes, identify the best value medication available for your needs and eligibility and involve you in decisions about your care and treatment. They may also need to consult with other healthcare professionals such as your doctor to ensure you are getting the best, safest care.
Occasionally it may happen that a pharmacist decides that it is not appropriate or safe to dispense your prescription. It is part of the pharmacist’s role, as an expert in medicines, to review each prescription before it is dispensed to ensure that it is safe and appropriate for you to take.
Services Available in your Local Community Pharmacy
Your pharmacist works as part of a team of trained pharmacy staff who are available to assist you directly and, if necessary, refer you to the pharmacist. Services that are available in all community pharmacies include:
- The safe sale and supply of non-prescriptions medicines;
- Advice about your healthcare needs;
- Support to help you take your medicines in the safest way possible; and
- Supply of prescription only medication.
The role of pharmacists is expanding. Your local community pharmacy may offer a range of other services such as:
- Blood pressure measurement;
- Health monitoring;
- Help to quit smoking;
- Vaccination services (e.g. flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal and shingles vaccination);
- Emergency contraception, and sexual health services; and
- Erectile dysfunction support.
You can Speak to your Pharmacist in Private
Pharmacies are busy places so, if you want to talk to your pharmacist in private, you can use the private consultation area.
Looking after your Health - What you can do
- Store your medicines in a cool, dark place, unless specifically advised to store them in the fridge;
- Never take prescription medicines that have not been prescribed for you;
- By using the same pharmacy for all prescription medicines, especially if you take medicines regularly, your pharmacist will be aware of all your medication history;
- He/she can ensure that your patient medication record is up-to-date, and will know of any allergies you may have and any interactions that may occur with the medicines you are taking;
- Keep medicines out of reach and sight of children; and
- Speak to your pharmacist about any side effects you may be experiencing from medicines.
In your Local Pharmacy...
There are a number of different people working in pharmacy, who are all there to help you in every way they can. Pharmacy staff include Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Medicines Counter Assistants and Sales Assistants. The whole team work together for the benefit of your health. You can ask any member of staff about your concerns and they will direct you to the pharmacists if needs be.