A Beauty Place

There are good and bad aspects of British health care. It is brilliant that we have access to free medical advice and treatments unlike other countries such as America. However, we are often hard pressed to find a doctor that can see us when we need them, having to wait weeks for an appointment if we cannot get out of work. Our health care professionals are excellently trained and provide us with top class care, so how else can we get their advice without having to book a doctor’s appointment? Now I am quite the hypochondriac, but going to the A&E room for anything other than an emergency is just plain silly. So it is a good job that our high street pharmacists are such well trained and professional health care providers.

As of May 1 2006, pharmacists were able to take a qualification which allows them to prescribe licensed medicines with the exception of controlled drugs for any medical condition so long as they feel it in their capabilities. When all the necessary training has been completed, they are known as pharmacist independent prescribers.

If you cannot get off work or have little spare time, having qualified pharmacists able to prescribe medicines to us on the high street is a good development. Popping into your local pharmacy on your lunch break, at the weekend or after work will be all it takes to get a prescription. Just because you are not speaking to a doctor does not mean you will be able to scam the pharmacist into giving you unnecessary drugs. Just like you would be asked questions by your doctor and expected to show any physical signs of your illness, your pharmacist will expect the same.

Extensive training is given to the pharmaceutical consultants before they are qualified to prescribe licensed medicines. The Department of Health and independent pharmaceutical consultants firms offer local pharmacists everything they need to know about prescribing, including when to refer a case to the patient’s GP and how to look out for substance abuse.

Your high street pharmacist should be your first contact with the health care system for minor and non-urgent medical issues. Unless you have a medical emergency or a very difficult case, they should be able to treat you or give you advice. The pharmacists will do their best to get you feeling right as rain again as soon as possible.

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