Read how pharmacies are a key asset on the health service frontline
“I have a young child and my pharmacist has helped me so much!”
Your local pharmacy is more than just a place to pick up pills. Here’s a selection of stories about lifesaving interventions made by pharmacy teams:
“A patient complained of serious abdominal pain and wanted some advice on taking painkillers. Upon questioning, I ruled out minor problems. I suspected appendicitis, but as the pain was moving I could not be 100% so I advised her to go to A&E. She came into the pharmacy a few weeks later and told me I had saved her life. She had an eptopic pregnancy which could have burst and potentially she could have died.”
“I have a young child and my pharmacist has helped me so much! Cold sores in pregnancy, teething, temperatures and advising my son when he had foot and mouth. It’s great to have the opportunity to have face to face with a health care professional without having to wait in line at a GP surgery – anyone with a toddler will understand that!”
“A lady was stung by a bee and had a developing anaphylactic reaction. She rushed into the nearest pharmacy (mine) and was administered epinephrine by the pharmacist. At the same time, pharmacy colleagues called for an ambulance. The first responder arrived but had no epinephrine and the ambulance took 20 minutes. The paramedics said they would have been too late.”
“A regular patient attended the pharmacy to collect their medication. This patient is normally accompanied by their carer but on this occasion had driven to the pharmacy for help and support. When the patient arrived they had a mental crisis and the pharmacist and team quickly realised that the patient was in need of urgent help. An ambulance was called via 999 and the patient was supported by the pharmacist and team. The patient was scared, anxious and moving from inside to outside the pharmacy. The team carefully supported and coaxed the patient into the warm consultation room whilst an ambulance arrived and a member of the public helped the pharmacist to keep an eye on the patient. The ambulance arrived and supported the patient whilst the mental crisis team were called.”
“A woman came in after injuring herself on a piece of metal in her garden. She’d tried both a GP and urgent care centre but couldn’t access a tetanus vaccine. When she walked into my pharmacy, I was able to prescribe and administer the vaccine privately. A small act, but potentially life-saving.”
