Pharmacists
Staff at your local pharmacy can give you advice if you have a cold, stomach upset, minor injury or a skin complaint. Some also offer services, such as emergency contraception, stop smoking support, disposal of unwanted medicines, needle exchange and support if you have a problem with drugs.
An increasing number of pharmacies have a consultation room so you can talk to your pharmacist about your health in private.
If you do not pay for your prescriptions ask your pharmacist about the Newham Minor Ailments scheme. Under this scheme you can get many treatments free and without seeing your doctor. Most pharmacies are open evenings and weekends. No appointment is needed.
Find your local pharmacist in the Newham area by searching the NHS service directory.
Medicines are an essential component of health services and are the most common clinical intervention provided within the NHS. Medicines account for the second biggest NHS single area of expenditure after staffing costs; every year the NHS spends around £11 billion (about 18% of the total budget) on medicines. The most frequently made intervention that a GP will make during a patient consultation is to issue a prescription for a medicine.
Effective medicines management, through East London NHS Foundation Trust Medicines Management Team helps to deliver a range of benefits in addition to direct patient care, primarily improving patient safety, maximising public health benefits, budgetary control, pathway design, reducing emergency readmissions. The team ensures:
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the availability of high quality, safe services
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governance around medicines
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that the prescribing bill is managed effectively, and that the best clinical choices are recommended whilst ensuring value for money by both GPs and the local hospital (NUHT) through a shared (joint) prescribing formulary
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to manage the NHS contract for pharmaceutical services within Newham, in line with The NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005.
The Medicines Management Team is responsible for the NHS services offered by pharmacies within Newham; from standard dispensing to advanced services such as Medicines Usage Reviews and enhanced services, including helping patients to stop smoking, the treatment of minor ailments and the supply of emergency hormonal contraception (the “morning after pill”).
Local pharmacists have a wide range of clinical skills and are able to routinely provide health advice, repeat prescribing services and safe medicines disposal; additionally some offer specific medicines services for substance users and are able to help patients who require warfarin by ensuring their blood samples are taken are monitored correctly, and advising the GP of the dose to be prescribed.