What services do pharmacies provide?

Pharmacists are experts in medicines and how they work. They play a key role in providing quality healthcare to patients.

Working in the community, primary care and hospitals, pharmacists use their clinical expertise, and practical knowledge, to ensure the safe supply and use of medicines by patients and members of the public.

Pharmacies provide the following services:

• prescription dispensing (including repeat prescriptions),
• safe disposal of unwanted medicines,
• health and lifestyle advice, such as providing help quitting smoking, losing weight and lowering blood pressure,
• suggesting where to go for further support, advice or treatment, and
• advice about, and treatment of, minor ailments and conditions without prescription.

All pharmacies must provide these services while meeting the required standards of clinical care.

There are many other services which pharmacies may provide including:

• extra help with treating long term conditions, such as diabetes, coronary heart problems, and asthma,
• supervising and administering the correct dosage of prescribed medicines,
• providing emergency contraception,
• diabetes testing,
• needle and syringe exchange for substance misusers,
• providing specialist medicines, such as tuberculosis and bacterial meningitis treatments,
• an at home oxygen therapy service for the terminally ill,
• support and advice for those in care homes,
• support and advice for those with special needs, and
• an out of hours medicine dispensing service.

Not all pharmacies will offer all of the above services, but most will provide a range of services.

Pharmacists can help you decide whether or not you need to see a doctor. There is no need to make an appointment to see a pharmacist, and you can talk them in confidence, even about symptoms that are personal.