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Medicines support available from your local chemist - Information for patients and carers

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The term ‘medicines support’ is defined as any support that enables a person to manage their medicines. This varies for different people depending on their specific needs, especially after hospital admission.

Sometimes when you are admitted to hospital, doctors will make changes to your medicines. You will be advised of this during your stay.

Once you have gone home, your community pharmacist will be able to help you with any questions you might have.

This is to ensure that you understand how best to take your medication. Please take your copy of the discharge letter to your usual pharmacy.

What services are available

There are two services available that can be accessed free of charge from your local chemist, they are the:

  • New Medicines Service
  • Free Medicines Advice Service

The New Medicines Service

This service is for people who have started on new medicine(s) for asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or medicines to control blood clotting.

The service involves the following process:

  • The pharmacist will arrange to contact you one or two weeks after starting your new medicine, at a time to suit you
  • You can either meet the pharmacist at the pharmacy in a private area, or arrange for the pharmacist to telephone you
  • The pharmacist will ask you some questions about how you are getting on with your new medicines, find out if you are having any problems, and give you any information or support you need
  • Your pharmacist will then arrange a follow up discussion, a further two to three weeks later.

The free Medicines Advice Service

This takes place in the community pharmacy. It involves looking at all the medicines you are taking, including medicines bought over the counter.

Your local pharmacist can advise you and answer questions about your medicines. This is a confidential conversation and should take place in a private area within the pharmacy or, if you prefer, you could choose to have the discussion over the telephone.

Your local pharmacist can:

  • Help you to find out more about your medicines, and pick up any problems you are having with your medicines
  • Improve the effectiveness of your medicines, by making sure your medicines are right for you and preventing unnecessary waste
  • Show you how to use your Inhaler
  • Discuss any side effects you are experiencing and what to do to resolve them

You can also take any medicines that have been stopped or you are no longer taking to the pharmacy for disposal.

Service contact information

Medicines Management Team First Community Health and Care Caterham Dene Hospital

Church Road Caterham Surrey

CR3 5RA

Email: fchc.pharmacyreferrals@nhs.net

To respond to your query, we will need:

  • Your contact details – full name, contact address, telephone number and email address
  • A list of the medication you use and who prescribed it to you.

 

First Community provides front-line NHS community healthcare services in east Surrey and parts of West Sussex.

We provide first-rate care, through our first-rate people, offering first-rate value. For more information visit: www.firstcommunityhealthcare.co.uk

If you would like this information in another format, for example large print or easy read, or if you need help communicating with us:

First Community (Head Office)

Call: 01737 775450 Email: fchc.enquiries@nhs.net Text: 07814 639034

Address: First Community Health and Care, Orchard House, Unit 8a, Orchard Business Centre, Bonehurst Road, Redhill RH1 5EL

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For office use only: Version 1 PFD_PSQ004 Publication date: March 2022