Pharmacists do they have the time ?

My mum worked in a pharmacy for years, so I'd never hesitate to ask a pharmacist for advice - but about the sort of things they can sell without prescription. I'd ask if I had a cough or something of that sort to see which medicine he/she recommended - anything actually pharmaceutical which is where their knowledge lies. DS could barely move because of a back problem and hobbled to the pharmacy for painkillers - the pharmacist advised on the best ones.

It's no good asking about things that are more 'first aid' related as that's not their area of expertise.

I don’t think cuts are something to ask a pharmacist to deal with. A doctor or nurse is the person to decide whether they need stitching and whether antibiotics or a tetanus jab might be needed. So the pharmacist you saw wasn’t useless, he knew his boundaries. Pharmacists have always had a role to play in dealing with minor ailments such as colds and tummy upsets and yes they do have time for quick consultations.

I received my flu jab from my local pharmacist yesterday, delivered quickly and painlessly without any apparent disruption to the shop which had at least two other members of staff working in the dispensary.
The pharmacy has remained open throughout the pandemic, unlike the Doctors' surgery, one minute away, which still has its door locked and barred, with strict instructions to communicate only by phone . Consultations are by phone and zoom, with patients instructed to send in photographs of their ailments (!) for review. Prescriptions may be posted through the door, but are now to be processed by another branch of this so-called Practice, situated five miles away, leading to yet more delay and presumably extra transport costs.
One doctor is on holiday, two are on 'sabbaticals' and patients are referred to a series of locums. So at the moment I feel more confident consulting my pharmacist.

We have an independent local pharmacy who is absolutely brilliant in advising on minor ailments
We also have a brilliant osteopath who is used by many of my family and friends to sort out all sorts of aches and pains

I think they're referring to the resident pharmacist they have at many surgeries now.

pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/feature/all-you-need-to-know-about-gp-practice-pharmacists

I had an eye infection, I know it was an infection because I’m 58 and reasonably intelligent.

I went to pharmacy 1 to be told to bathe my eye in cooled boiled water for 5 days and then return if it wasn’t improved.

Now a trip to pharmacy two, I lied and said I had used cooled boiled water for 5 days and it hadn’t worked, they told me to make an appointment with the doctor….. I would have more chance of having a mini break with Daniel Craig.

Pharmacy 3, I am now beyond angry, I explain I have an eye infection, I know it’s an eye infection I demand the appropriate medication so that I do not have to waste NHS time, I am introduced to a lovely pharmacist who sells me antibiotic eye drops.

48 hours later…no more infected eye.

Why does it have to be so difficult?

Our pharmacy is great, especially one particular pharmacist. I had a really awful rash on my leg a while ago. I saw thee GPs, was sent for blood tests, given antibiotics, lotions, potions. Nothing worked. I asked this lovely pharmacist. He asked what lotions I had been given. He raised his eyes and said those are totally wrong and gave me a different one. The rash was gone in a week. I had had it for over 6 months

A pharmacist in France recommended some cream for some bites on my face/neck, where the pharmacist in Southampton had said, not to worry, they aren’t infected. Don’t scratch them and they’ll fade. The cream worked, or it might have been the antihistamines and the cleansing solution he sold me along with it that did the trick.?

Reading the replies above I think this is one of the problems with going to see the Pharmacist - it is very hit and miss. Not everyone can trot from one chemist to another and from my experience they nearly always tell you to contact the GP just in case for anything other than the most minor problems.
We had our flu jabs at our local pharmacy which was great as the GP showed no sign of starting yet but there were 10 other people waiting in a fairly small shop, kept my mask on and hoped for the best.

I would have dealt with a cut finger myself, unless it wouldn’t stop bleeding. I think the OP was right to deal with it herself.

I don’t want to give the impression that I was criticising Pharmacists, my question is they are so busy will they have time for all these extra enquiries.

Thank you Maddyone. My DH did a great job with the help of the butterfly strips and it is now as good as new. It was the pharmacist’s attitude which I was questioning.

I’ve always found pharmacists helpful. They definitely have more time for you.

We knew someone who was a pharmacist a few years ago. An older man of around 50. He was asked to take a salary drop in line with a younger one. He didn’t want to do this understandably, as he had so much more experience, so he left the profession. Not sure how this worked, but most pharmacists in our area now are very young....and cheaper presumably. When I have had to speak to one, I’ve always felt pleased with the outcome.

I don't think pharmacists can be too busy. Recently I have had a several changes in medicine and each time after a few weeks the pharmacist has rung me to ask how I was getting on. I did not get the impression they were busy because each time we had a long chat.

Sago

I had an eye infection, I know it was an infection because I’m 58 and reasonably intelligent.

I went to pharmacy 1 to be told to bathe my eye in cooled boiled water for 5 days and then return if it wasn’t improved.

Now a trip to pharmacy two, I lied and said I had used cooled boiled water for 5 days and it hadn’t worked, they told me to make an appointment with the doctor….. I would have more chance of having a mini break with Daniel Craig.

Pharmacy 3, I am now beyond angry, I explain I have an eye infection, I know it’s an eye infection I demand the appropriate medication so that I do not have to waste NHS time, I am introduced to a lovely pharmacist who sells me antibiotic eye drops.

48 hours later…no more infected eye.

Why does it have to be so difficult?

I always try to keep some chloramphenicol eye cream in my medicine box but, boy, it’s like the Spanish Inquisition trying to buy it from the chemist! I know that over use of antibiotics is a problem but sometimes I don’t want to take up surgery times with what is a relatively minor complaint even though I do understand that the problem might be the result of a foreign body etc. and does need to be seen by a doctor.

Not every pharmacist can prescribe, think they have to do some extra courses. I am sure that I heard that there are 11,000 pharmacists who can do this.

If my local pharmacist is in the small room (like a cupboard) with a patient, the queue to collect prescriptions is out of the door and down the road. He can't be doing 2 jobs at once so I wonder how the system is going to work.

Our local Pharmacist is brilliant and so helpful. He knows Mr J quite well as he has a number of health issues and always takes the time to check what medication he is on, telling him if over the counter products may interact with the drugs he is on. We would look forward to him offering a more involved service.

My local pharmacist is a legend and does free consultations on pretty much anything and free massages .( in view of people, nothing dodgy ) . When you book jabs or want a chat about side effects or swollen knees or a pain in the back etc etc etc he most definitely has the time and patience and often surprises you with a solution.

It's far easier to pop into the chemist than get to see a doctor. Mine sent me straight across the road to the optician when I had a sore eye - just to check that it was just (yet another) allergic reaction.

The optician knew that I needed the 'tear replacement' drops, without preservatives, and thought I should take more antihistamines. My GP would probably have sent me to the hospital eye clinic.

Sago

I had an eye infection, I know it was an infection because I’m 58 and reasonably intelligent.

I went to pharmacy 1 to be told to bathe my eye in cooled boiled water for 5 days and then return if it wasn’t improved.

Now a trip to pharmacy two, I lied and said I had used cooled boiled water for 5 days and it hadn’t worked, they told me to make an appointment with the doctor….. I would have more chance of having a mini break with Daniel Craig.

Pharmacy 3, I am now beyond angry, I explain I have an eye infection, I know it’s an eye infection I demand the appropriate medication so that I do not have to waste NHS time, I am introduced to a lovely pharmacist who sells me antibiotic eye drops.

48 hours later…no more infected eye.

Why does it have to be so difficult?

I had this problem. Asked for "Golden Eye" cream which is good for recurring conjunctivitis. Told to go away and bathe the eye. Drove to the next Chemist and got what I wanted.
Our Surgery now has a large NHS notice which lists the things they will not prescribe for; From Anal itching to Warts. So I just used what they used to give me for a sore eye, but pay £7 for it.

Pharmacists in France do a lot more than dispense medication. They give advice, do some testing etc. Our local Pharmacist was very helpful in sorting out a problem I had with the health care system, made calls for me etc. They also helped with getting my husband 100% free treatment for his cancer.