Make the chemist your first port of call – for free advice, a range of tests and even private consultations, writes FIONA REDDAN
WHEN YOU or a family member is feeling unwell, your first instinct might be to head for your doctor and fork out up to €60 for their advice. But is this always necessary?
With pharmacies across the State obliged to have dedicated consultation rooms by November, could you save yourself time and money by first discussing your ailment with your local pharmacist? And, with some pharmacies now offering a wide range of services, such as testing cholesterol, PSA and health screenings, are you making the most of the facilities on your doorstep?
For many, the local pharmacy is a place to pop in to pick up a prescription, buy some medical supplies or cosmetics – not a place to have a chat with a medical professional. However, with GP fees still considerable, and the advice of a pharmacist available for free, this is changing.
“The pharmacy should be the first and last port of call in the whole health service,” says Darragh O’Loughlin, president of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) and a pharmacist in Galway.
“Sometimes people do tend to think that all they should do in a pharmacy is collect medication,” says O’Loughlin, who recommends that for any minor ailment, such as a cold or rash, you should first consult your local pharmacist. “They can then advise whether it’s necessary to see a doctor or not, or whether antibiotics might be necessary,” he says.
If you feel uncomfortable discussing your medical issues on the shop floor, or have an ailment of a more personal nature, new legislation means that from November 1st pharmacies across the State will have to provide dedicated consultation rooms, where patients can discuss their medicines in private, and receive counselling and advice from the pharmacist.
“The pharmacist can co-ordinate medication and can sit down with the patient for 15-20 minutes and explain what each one does, what the side effects are, and can give advice on how to take it properly,” says O’Loughlin.
Indeed, the IPU is running a pilot scheme with the HSE, working with about 100 patients, on how to perfect this procedure, known as poly-pharmacy, in order to recommend changes to the system.
Other ways pharmacies can help is in perfecting the right inhaler technique for asthma sufferers or in choosing the correct hay fever medicine. “Rather than purchasing everything on the market, take advice from the pharmacist on what medication to take.”
Another major advantage of taking time to talk to your pharmacist is that you might save money on the cost of any necessary drugs, as the pharmacist can identify if there is a less expensive alternative on the market. For non-prescription drugs, the pharmacist can suggest ready generic replacements, but can also help you save money on prescription medication – particularly important given the increase in the Drugs Payment Scheme in last year’s budget to €120.
While no legislation exists at present which would enable a pharmacist to switch medication themselves, generic substitution is on the Government’s agenda and, in the meantime, the pharmacist can ask the prescribing medical practitioner to change the prescription. Once informed, the customer can then ask their doctor to prescribe the less expensive alternative from then on.
In addition to the inclusion of consultation rooms, pharmacies are also rapidly extending the range of services they offer, stepping into the gap between GP practices and hospitals to offer an ever-increasing range of sophisticated diagnostic tests.
While you may be aware that in many pharmacies you will be able to get a free blood pressure check, at others you can get more intensive tests. For example, at McCabes pharmacies around the State, you can get simple tests such as cholesterol level check (€25); PSA check (€25 Dundrum store only); or glucose levels (€10). In addition, the pharmacy carries out health screenings, specific to males and females, from €65-€100.
Unicare Pharmacy, which also has branches throughout the State, offers a range of additional services such as Body Mass Index (BMI) screening, which is a measure indicating whether your weight is healthy for your height. This is available free of charge. More recently, the pharmacy has launched an orthotics clinic in certain outlets, for people suffering from foot problems.
In Boots pharmacies, for €40 you can avail of a “Healthy Heart” consultation, which involves discussing your risk factors with a pharmacist and getting your BMI, blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol tested.
And for new parents keen to discover whether or not their baby is putting on weight, some pharmacies also offer free baby-weighing services, which can save parents a trip to their local public health nurse.
If you’re paying for pharmacy services, some insurers will offer money back on certain tests. For example, if you are a member of Aviva, you can get a 25 per cent discount on the tests offered by McCabes pharmacies, if you show your Aviva membership card.
Swap and save the generic choice
While most of us may now be aware of the savings to be made by buying generic, “yellow-pack” drugs rather than their big brand name counterparts, how many of us ask our pharmacist for them on a regular basis? Given the savings to be made, swapping a well-known non-prescription drug for its cheaper, generic alternative is an easy step to make.
Instead of Solpadeine, ask for Maxilief. Saving: 20 per cent
Instead of Motillium, ask for Domerid. Saving: 20 per cent
Instead of Zovirax, ask for Acic. Saving: 40 per cent
Instead of Panadol, ask for Paracetomol. Saving: 20 per cent
