Balsall Common Pharmacy

The Flu Vaccination Service is the provision of a flu vaccine, administered by our specially trained Pharmacist, to help prevent you catching flu. The Flu Vaccination Service is suitable for most adults. If you are interested in receiving the service, our Pharmacist will take you through a short series of questions to ensure that it is suitable before giving the vaccination. Lifelong immunity to the influenza virus is virtually impossible to achieve and therefore an annual vaccination is required to provide protection from the disease.

People with long term (or chronic) pain can find it difficult to control their symptoms with their medication. Poorly managed pain can lead to further problems such as lack of mobility, disruption in sleep or depression. During a private consultation, our pharmacist can help you to control your pain by helping you to understand how your medicines work and how and when to take them. They will also assist to resolve any problems you may be experiencing such as side effects or interactions with other medicines you take.

Some people who have problems with their mobility need daily living aids to help them with day to day activities. These aids can be prescribed by assessors who look at your needs and recommend products that may be of help to you. If you receive a prescription for a daily living aid we can dispense it for you and provide any information you need on how to use it.

People receiving palliative care will often be prescribed medication which is required immediately. We stock a range of specialist medicines used in palliative care so if you have a prescription for one of these medicines you can bring it to our pharmacy and we will be able to dispense it for you, without having to wait for it to be ordered and delivered. As well as being able to supply you with your medicines, our pharmacist will be able to offer advice and information on the medicines you receive.

If you are required to have regular blood tests due to a long term condition or medication you take, we can take your blood sample in our private consultation room and send it to a laboratory to be tested. You must be referred by your GP practice to receive this service.

If you are given a prescription that you need urgently when no pharmacies are open, we can be contacted via the local police station to open the pharmacy for you and dispense your prescription. This service is only for patients who have ‘URGENT’ written on their prescription by their prescriber.

If you cannot get to us then we can come to you! We can deliver your medicines to your home free of charge.You will not have to go to the surgery to pick up your prescription (if you are on our Repeat Prescription Service). We will make sure that your surgery knows you are using this service. You will not have to wait while your prescription is being dispensed. We will make up your medicines and then bring them to you.

If you are prescribed the same medicines regularly you may be able to benefit from the free Repeat Dispensing Scheme. This allows you to get your repeat prescriptions directly from our pharmacy without having to reorder them from your GP. If you are eligible and sign up for this service we will look after your repeat prescriptions. Before you run out of your medicine(s) let us know and we will dispense your prescription, ready for you to collect.

If you regularly receive regular repeat prescriptions from your GP we can help you to make sure that you don’t ever run out of your medicines. We will order your repeat prescription on your behalf in time for us to dispense it before you run out of your medication. All you need to do is call into our pharmacy to collect your medicines when you need another supply.

If you regularly use appliances such as incontinence or stoma products then our pharmacist can provide you with an Appliance Use Review, free of charge. During the review they will help you to improve your knowledge and use of your products, identify any poor or ineffective use and advise you about safe storage and disposal.

The Minor Aliments Service (MAS) is a scheme available in Scotland, which allows you to use your pharmacy to get advice and treatments for common illnesses such as coughs, colds, pains and hay fever free on the NHS. Our Pharmacist can provide you with advice on treating these common conditions and, if necessary, prescribe over the counter medicines free of charge. In addition, if our Pharmacist feels it is appropriate then they will refer you to a GP or another healthcare professional.

Many people in the UK suffer from symptoms of allergies and intolerances such as runny nose, itchy eyes, rashes and stomach discomfort throughout the year. Often the trigger of the allergy or intolerance is unknown. Our Allergy Screening Service allows you to understand if you have a food intolerance or allergy and if so, identify what is triggering your symptoms. We can then help to find ways in which you can manage the symptoms and signpost you to further guidance and support.

The Asthma Check Service aims to help you get the most from your asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) medicines. The Asthma Check Service is a free service, funded by the NHS, which involves having a private consultation of around 20 minutes, with our Pharmacist. The aim of the review is to help you better understand the medicines you take, how they work, what they do, as well as looking at your inhaler technique. It will also help our Pharmacist identify any problems you may be experiencing such as side effects or interactions with other medicines.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the blood which is produced naturally in the body. Cholesterol levels can be raised through a number of causes including; an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, smoking and some long term conditions. Having high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of serious health conditions such as heart attack, stroke or heart disease. We can measure your cholesterol level for you which will give you an indication of your risk of developing problems in the future. We will give you advice on how you can reduce your cholesterol level if required or refer you to your GP if necessary.

Our Diabetes Risk Awareness Service can help you to understand whether you are potentially at risk of developing diabetes. You can therefore take action to prevent this happening. Most health experts agree that in recent years more and more people have developed the condition known as diabetes, putting their health at some risk. It is also estimated that there are up to half a million more people in the UK who have diabetes but have not been diagnosed. This is because symptoms may develop over period of time and the connection with diabetes may not be made

People undertaking drug treatment programmes may be required to take their medication whilst being supervised in the pharmacy. We offer a discreet and confidential service which helps to ensure your medication is taken as prescribed and to reduce the risk of medication being lost or stolen.