Pharmacy information
Community Pharmacy
Community pharmacies (or chemists) are found in the high street, supermarkets, and neighbourhoods and at the heart of many local communities.
At every community pharmacy is a pharmacist. It takes five years training to become a pharmacist. A pharmacist is responsible for:
- the quality of medicines supplied
- advising patients about medicines including how to take them
- advising patients about how to self care.
In Manchester many of our community pharmacies are open long hours. To find the pharmacy nearest to you look in the telephone directory or go to www.nhs.uk. You can also text pharmacy to 64746 to receive three free text messages with details of your nearest pharmacies.
What do community pharmacy teams do?
Community pharmacists dispense medicines from a prescription written by a GP, Dentist, Nurse or other health professional. Before dispensing the medicine, the pharmacist will make sure that the medicines are right for you.
Community pharmacists also provide a number of other services:
Disposal of waste medicines
If you have any medicines that you no longer use, you can take them to your local pharmacy for safe disposal. This will mean that there are less unwanted medicines stored in people's homes. Environmental damage can be caused when unwanted medicines are not disposed of correctly.
Promotion of healthy lifestyles
This service will provide you with advice on keeping healthy; this could be advice on healthy eating, stopping smoking and exercise. You may be able to get leaflets and written information.
Signposting to other services
Your pharmacy will be able to provide you with contact details for any additional help you need from other health care professionals, social services or voluntary organisations. There may also be self help groups locally that can give you extra support and care.
Support for Self care
This service helps you look after and care for yourself and your family. Your pharmacy team will provide you with advice on treating minor illnesses, such as coughs and colds, or long term conditions such as arthritis or diabetes. This support may include medicines you can buy over the counter from the pharmacy without a prescription. If you ring NHS Direct for advice, you may be referred to a pharmacy to give you the support provided by this service.
Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment
The Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment gives more detail about community pharmacy in Manchester. It explains;
- why we developed a needs assessment for pharmacy
- where community pharmacies are located
- how pharmacy services are meeting the needs of local people
- what services could be provided in the future.
Click here to view the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment - January 2011
Supplementary Statement - May 2011
Supplementary Statement - November 2011
Supplementary Statement - January 2012 (1)
Supplementary Statement - January 2012 (2)
Supplementary Statement - January 2012 (3)
Supplementary Statement - January 2012 (4)
Supplementary Statement - October 2012 (1)
Supplementary Statement - October 2012 (2)
Supplementary Statement - October 2012 (3)
Supplementary Statement - October 2012 (4)
Supplementary Statement - October 2012 (5)
Supplementary Statement - October 2012 (6)
Supplementary Statement - October 2012 (7)