Blood pressure is measured by wrapping an inflatable pressure bag around the upper arm and connecting it to a digital pressure measuring device. The entire instrument is called a sphygmomanometer. Many people take tablets for high blood pressure and it can be impossible to know whether your tablets are working because there are no symptoms usually associated with high blood pressure. By popping into our pharmacy for a check, you can keep track of your blood pressure between visits to your GP.

The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) aims to screen as many sexually active young people in the age range of 16 to 25. Kits can be obtained at any time from the pharmacy but will also be routinely offered in conjunction with other services such as Emergency Contraception if the patient falls into the target group. Patients who are confirmed positive (and any sexual partners) can return to the pharmacy for a single dose of the antibiotic Azithromycin.

This is a simple finger-prick test and will give you a ‘total cholesterol’ reading in approximately 5 minutes. We can help you with dietary and lifestyle advice to manage your cholesterol and can help you to keep track of your levels with our FREE test.

Diabetics who use needles and/or lancets can obtain sharpsbins for safe disposal of these items directly from the pharmacy. When full, they can simply be exchanged at the pharmacy counter for a new bin.

It is thought that there are about 1,000,000 people in the UK suffering from diabetes who have not been diagnosed. It’s very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it will get progressively worse if left untreated. Our simple screening test (which can be combined with the cholesterol check) involves testing a tiny drop of blood from a finger prick. This will tell you if your blood sugar levels are within the ‘normal’ range or whether you need to visit your GP for further checks.

Ear piercing is available to adults and children aged 8 or over. There are a range of earrings to choose from

In the event of unprotected sex, missed pills, burst condoms or other unforeseen events, you may be at risk of an unwanted pregnancy. Any woman aged 13 or over who may be at risk can have a private and confidential consultation with our pharmacist. The pharmacist will assess your needs, provide advice and information and, where appropriate, provide you with emergency contraception in the form of a single dose pill. If you have had sex without using contraception, or you think your contraception has failed, you may be able to use Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC). Every consultation is private and confidential and will be in a private consultation room. Our fully trained and accredited Pharmacist will supply EHC when appropriate to clients in line with the requirements of a locally agreed Patient Group Direction (PGD).

The PGD will specify the age range of clients that are eligible for the service; it may facilitate supply to young persons under 16 in appropriate circumstances. We will also provide support and advice to clients accessing the service, including advice on the avoidance of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) through safer sex and condom use, advice on the use of regular contraceptive methods and provide onward signposting to services that provide long-term contraceptive methods and diagnosis and management of STI’s. * Only available if commissioned in accordance with a local agreement.

As part of our commitment to the support of sexual health, free condoms are available to young people under the age of 25 on presentation of a valid card. This service is automatically offered to any young person presenting for Emergency Contraception or Chlamydia screening but young people can sign up for the service at any time.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease and is responsible for about 25,000 deaths a year in the UK. Although the damage that has already occurred to your lungs cannot be reversed, you can slow down the progression of the disease. Stopping smoking is particularly effective at doing this. If you are frequently breathless, have a persistent cough or suffer from frequent chest infections, you may be at risk of developing COPD. Our simple breath test will measure the effectiveness of your lungs and give you a relative lung age based on your results. This test is free and available to everyone.

HIV and hepatitis screening is available to anyone over the age of 13 years and who, after consultation is found to have been exposed to a risk factor. Risk factors include blood transfusions prior to 1991, current or previous use of intravenous drugs, skin piercings in high risk countries, needlestick injury, contact with another person’s blood, close contact with a known sufferer, men having sex with a male partner, women having sex with a bisexual partner, sex with an unidentified partner. The screening process involves a finger prick and the collection of a number of blood spots which are allowed to dry and sent to a lab for processing. Results are obtained within 2 weeks. NB Any client who has had recent exposure should re-test after 3 months as early testing may give a false negative result.

Your hearing will be tested with a series of high and low tones in each ear and you will be provided with a feedback form which will say whether you require no further assessment or whether you need further assessment or referral for a hearing aid.

A rapid vaccination course of 3 vaccines over a three week period is available to individuals who have one of the risk factors from the following: current or previous history of intravenous drug use, sexual partner of an intravenous drug user, men having sex with a male partner, partners of a bisexual male, sex workers, regular users of sexual services, returning from Sub Saharan at risk counries having been exposed to risk.

The MUR service is a structured review that is undertaken by a pharmacist to help patients to manage their medicines more effectively. The MUR involves the pharmacist reviewing the patient’s use of their medication, ensuring they understand how their medicines should be used and why they have been prescribed, identifying any problems and then, where necessary, providing feedback to the prescriber. An MUR Feedback Form will be provided to the patient’s GP where there is an issue for them to consider. An MUR is not usually conducted more than once a year.

You can have a free NHS flu Jab at our pharmacy:
• If you are 65 years of age and over on 31 March 2024
• If you are pregnant
• If you are a carer

If you have certain medical conditions including:
• Asthma
• Chronic Respiratory Disease
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Kidney Disease
• Liver Disease
• Neurological Disease

In conjunction with the Island Recovery Integrated Service (IRIS) we offer needle exchange services to intravenous drug users. Under this scheme, drug users can obtain supplies as listed on the ‘exchange menu’ and provide anonymous client identity information. This service is free and completely confidential

What is the New Medicine Service? The New Medicine Service is an NHS service, offered through your pharmacy (chemist), to help you understand your condition and get the most out of your new medicine. Who is it for? The service is for people who have received their first prescription for a medicine to treat any of the following conditions: asthma lung conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema type 2 diabetes high blood pressure conditions where you take a medicine to control the way your blood clots. How will it help me? Between 30% and 50% of prescribed medicines are not taken as recommended. This means that a lot of medicines are wasted or are not as effective as they could be. The service will: help you to find out more about the new medicine you are taking help to sort out any problems you are having with your new medicine give you a chance to ask questions about your medicine and discuss any concerns help to improve the effectiveness of your new medicine, for example, there may be an easier or better way to take it help you to make your own decisions about managing your condition help you to improve your health, which could lead to fewer GP and hospital visits. When you are prescribed a new medicine by your doctor our pharmacists can offer support and advice to ensure you take the new medication as prescribed without suffering any unwanted side effects or explain any further questions you may have. We usually do this by keeping in contact with you during the first 4 weeks of your new medicine being prescribed.

The service is only available for people living in England, and only for those who have been prescribed a new medicine for the conditions listed:

• asthma
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• type 2 diabetes 
• high blood pressure
• people who have been given a new blood-thinning medicine

The NMS can help:

• improve your adherence (taking your medicines correctly) which will generally lead to better health outcomes
• increase your engagement with your condition and medicines, supporting you to make decisions about your treatment and self-management
• reduce medicines wastage
• reduce hospital admissions due to adverse events from medicines

The Pharmacy First service is a local service commissioned by the Isle of Wight CCG to provide an appropriate alternative to visiting your GP, Out of Hours or A & E services for the management of minor ailments. Patients registered with an Isle of Wight GP can access the Pharmacy First service for a range of minor ailments including cough, cold, sore throat, fever, thrush, cystitis, earache, teething, threadworms, hayfever, blocked nose, athlete’s foot, diarrhoea, cold sores, skin rashes and eye infections. Patients will be provided with advice from a pharmacist, given printed information where appropriate and, where necessary, supplied with medication from a defined formulary. Medication will be supplied FREE OF CHARGE to those exempt from prescription charges.

We provide the Lipotrim weight loss programme which involves a weekly weigh in and discussion with one of our trained advisors. We will support you throughout the programme and provide you with lots of support, ideas and information to help you to keep the weight off once you have achieved your goal.