Your local Pharmacy
The pharmacy is where you go for medicines and for the Pharmacist's advice on how to take them, The Pharmacist knows exactly what is in your medicine and will be happy to answer any questions.
If you are feeling off colour but do not feel ill enough to go to the GP, ask your pharmacist for advice. Often an over the counter remedy will be all that you need.
The Minor Ailment Service (MAS) allows eligible individuals to register with and use a community pharmacy as the first port of call for the treatment of common illnesses on the NHS. A patient registers with the community pharmacy of their choice in order to use MAS. Once registered they can present at any point with symptoms and the pharmacist, having ascertained whether the patient is still eligible to use the service, will treat, advise or refer them to another health care practitioner where appropriate.
The following persons are currently eligible to register for the service:
- persons who are under 16 years of age or under 19 years of age and in full-time education;
- persons who are aged 60 years or over;
- persons who have a valid maternity exemption certificate, medical exemption certificate, or war pension exemption certificate;
- persons who get Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit; and
- persons who are named on, or are entitled to, an NHS tax credit exemption certificate or a valid HC2 certificate.
Lloyds the chemist can also supply Emergency Contraception if you are 16 years or over free of charge