Chronic Medication Service - is it for you?

Do you have a long term condition which requires you to take medication daily such as high blood pressure, asthma or osteoporosis?

The Chronic Medication Service (terrible name for a great service) allows you to register with your chosen pharmacy in order to receive pharmaceutical care. For many people this will simple formalise what you have always done.  You have a question about your medication or are concerned about side effects or what medicines you can buy if you have a cold; you ask your pharmacist for help.

What this service allows the pharmacy to do for the first time is keep an electronic record of care given (in the same way your GP does) and share information with your GP if required. 

Another aspect of this service is serial dispensing. This part of the service is for you if your medication rarely changes and you are very settled on your tablets. Your doctor can sign you off for up to a year (normally after your annual check up) and you then simply come to the pharmacy every couple of months for your medication. No repeat prescriptions - no hassle.

If you want to no more about the chronic medication service - call in to Barnton Pharmacy and our friendly team will let you know if it is the right service for you. 

2011 - A year in numbers

Apologies for the lack of blogginess in the last few weeks. Any of you with any experience of community pharmacy at this time of year will know that all rational and logical thinking goes out of the window in an attempt to dispense four month's worth of prescriptions in four weeks....just in case we don't open again after the planned two day closure!

Anyway, I am back and in reflective mood. 2011 has been an amazing year for Barnton Pharmacy and in trying to sum it up I thought I would share some of the highlights in numbers.

1 rebrand and new look pharmacy

We think the new look works really well and gives a clean and professional finish. 

29 blog posts written 

Must do better in 2012

890 patients registered for the minor ailments service

and receiving consultations and advice free of charge for minor ailments from head lice to coughs and colds.

1231 bottles of fresubin over-ordered

Don't worry Hazel, you are forgiven, but I'm afraid it will be used as a learning example for years to come!

5 awards won:

Scottish Pharmacist Innovation & Change Award in February

Alphega Pharmacy regional award in May

Key Staff Award for Hazel in October

Alliance Healthcare Scottish Pharmacy of the Year in November

and

Alliance Healthcare UK Pharmacy of the Year in November

206 patients registered fof the new chronic medication service

A really good start to the service for us, but we now need to focus on making it business as usual for out patients with long term conditions.

89.7kg lost by people on our Lipotrim weight management programme
and hoping to sign up many more in the new year. The next blog will focus on the New Year's resolutions.

35 smokers helped to stop smoking

Well done to all of them and keep up the good work.

2 staff retired

We'd like to wish Evelyn and Margaret long and happy days in the sun enjoying their hard earned retirment

4 new staff members

Big welcomes this year to Willie, Megan, Oana and Prince who join the team.

1 Parliamentary mention

70,379 aspirin tablets counted and dispensed
if you believe the computer record!

117 flu jabs administered
Vaccines are still available and it is not yet too late to protect yourselves and your loved ones.

2 sets of broken ribs
Willie and Sally. Both well on the mend now.

almost 50,000 prescriptions dispensed to our wonderful customers.

Thanks to our customers for supporting us during 2011.
Leanne and I would like to wish them all a Happy and Healthy 2012