Pharmacy Services

1. Flu Jab service

Getting the flu can be quite upsetting to your health and may stop you from carrying out your regular daily activities, but if you are otherwise healthy and active then you can expect it to go away on its own. Unfortunately, not everyone is and if you fall under any one of these categories, then it is highly recommended you get the flu vaccination done today to protect yourself from any future complications.

 You are eligible for a flu jab if you are:

Over the age of 65
• Pregnant
• A child or adult with underlying health conditions
• An adult or child with a weakened immune system

 By taking early precautions and getting the flu jab, you are saving yourself from complications of the flu such as lung infection, pneumonia or even rare conditions like meningitis.

 If you are located in or around North London, then come see us in Islington at Dermacia Pharmacy. Our highly trained staff will assess your needs and you can be vaccinated immediately. So, if you fall under any of these categories, or you are unsure whether or not you need a flu jab, give us a call or pay a visit to our Pharmacy. We are open 7 days a week at your convenience. Do not worry about any cost as the flu jab is completely free and funded by the NHS; you also do not require any referral letter or prior permission from your GP.

2. Blood Glucose Check

There are currently 3.2 million people in the UK diagnosed with diabetes and many are unaware they have it. Diabetes happens when the pancreas doesn’t produce insulin (Type 1), or it doesn’t produce enough of it (Type 2). Insulin is needed to use glucose from food as fuel for energy. As a result, glucose builds up in the blood, not being used as fuel, as well as being damaging to your organs. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2; Type 2 being the most common.

 Diabetes is however a very manageable condition with medication and lifestyle changes, but if it is left untreated can cause complications like kidney failure and blindness. It is therefore really important to regularly monitor your blood glucose levels.

 To do this, a blood glucose test is carried out to find out how much glucose you have in your blood. This provides a good indication on your risk for diabetes, as well as the effectiveness of the medication and lifestyle changes. The test can be done by your GP or at your local pharmacy.

 Here at Dermacia Pharmacy in Islington, we offer blood glucose tests that are carried out through a simple finger prick test to assess your glucose levels. The test is very easy and quick, and our trained Pharmacist carries it out. So, if you live in or around North London, particularly Islington, come visit us at our Pharmacy; we are open 7 days a week. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your results with the pharmacists, and receive advice on what you can do to manage your condition.

3. Cholesterol Check

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is found in all cells of your body. The body actually uses cholesterol to carry out a few processes like digest food and make vitamin D, but it can produce all the cholesterol it needs. LDL (low density lipoproteins/bad cholesterol) and HDL (high density lipoproteins/good cholesterol) carry cholesterol around your body.

 Having a high number of LDL leads to build-up that increases your risk factors for many conditions including heart disease, strokes, and atherosclerosis (narrowing of your arteries due to a build up of cholesterol). There are many conditions that can cause high cholesterol including an unhealthy diet, inactive lifestyle, smoking and high blood pressure; it can also be hereditary. It is therefore important to have a higher number of HDL and a low number of LDL.

 If you fall under any one of these categories, it is highly recommended to carry out a regular cholesterol check.

• Overweight or obese
• Over 40 years old
• Suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes
• Underlying medical condition
• Been diagnosed with coronary heart disease or have suffered strokes
• You are a smoker

 At Dermacia Pharmacy, we can measure your cholesterol levels very easily with a simple blood test. At the end of the test we will also offer advice and measures you can take to reduce your cholesterol, or if needed suggest further investigation from your GP. Monitoring and treating high cholesterol can go a long way to prevent future complications, so come and get your cholesterol checked at our Pharmacy in Islington (North London) and take the first step to a healthier lifestyle. 

4. Emergency Contraception

If you have had unprotected sex in the last 72 hours, or your form of contraception has failed, then you can still reduce your chances of getting pregnant by taking emergency contraception (morning after pill). The sooner you take the pill, the better your chances of not getting pregnant; if taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex, the emergency pill will prevent up to 95% of pregnancies.

 This service is only available to over 16s, however for people under 16, we may be able to provide emergency contraception under certain NHS arrangements. The emergency contraception given is Levenolle 1.5mg. This tablet is only suitable if you had sex in the previous 72 hours. After this time, you will need to book an appointment with your GP for a prescription. It is also possible you could be allergic to the ingredients in the tablet, though you can discuss this with the Pharmacist.

 If you are based in or around North London, then come to Dermacia Pharmacy located in Islington for our Emergency Contraception Service. The effectiveness of the pill is dependent on how soon you come see us after having unprotected sex.

 The service is not free unless you have a prescription from your doctor or family planning clinic, but it can be purchased without one. Contact us if you have any questions or for more information about our Emergency Contraception Service.

5. Smoking Cessation

As smoking related deaths continue to reach an alarming number, it’s estimated that there are around 9 million smokers in the UK with over 100,000 deaths from direct smoke and over 12,000 deaths from second hand smoke each year. It is never too late to give it up and you will start reaping the benefits in as short as 20 minutes (blood pressure and pulse returns to normal).

 We have all heard of the harms of smoking, and there has never been an easier time to give it up. There are many services open to help you quit including the Smoking Cessation Programme.

 How you can benefit from quitting smoking

• Improve fertility
• Protecting people around you from second hand smoke
• More energy
• Save money
• Live longer
• Better lung function
• Reduce chances of dying from serious smoking related causes including lung cancer, heart disease and COPD

 At Dermacia Pharmacy in Islington, we offer smokers the opportunity to join our Smoking Cessation Programme, which is specially designed to support you in your journey to quit smoking. To achieve this, we offer one to one advice, consultations with our highly trained stop smoking advisors and nicotine replacement therapies.

 So if you want to make a positive change in your life, then come visit our Pharmacy for your initial consultation on how to quit smoking.

6. Minor Ailments Scheme

The Minor Ailment Scheme is under the guidance of the NHS, whereby a pharmacist is allowed to dispense medication to a patient for certain conditions. Consequently, you don’t have to waste a lot of time waiting for an appointment with your GP and you can get treatment immediately. 

 The conditions that are covered include:

• Skin conditions such as mild acne and mild eczema
• Constipation and haemorrhoids
• Hay fever and allergies
• Aches and pains
• Indigestion, diarrhoea and threadworms
• Period pain and thrush
• Athlete’s foot
• Nappy rash and teething
• Coughs and colds including nasal congestion and sore throat
• Minor cuts and bruises
• Warts and verrucas, mouth ulcers and cold sores

 If you are unsure if your condition falls under any of these categories, please do not hesitate to contact us. For more serious injuries especially if it has occurred after an accident, or unexpected chest pains and breathing difficulty please go to your local A&E immediately.

 This service is only available for those who are entitled to free medication on the NHS. We will require your Minor Ailment Number, which you can get from your Doctor’s Surgery, or if your surgery is located close by to our Pharmacy in Islington, it may be possible for us to get the number from your surgery.  You can only get medication for a certain condition once every three months. If that condition reappears within this period, you will have to get a prescription from your GP.

7. Erectile Dysfunction 

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) or Impotence is a very common condition in which a person finds it difficult to get and maintain an erection. This is common in older men and usually occurs due to a build up of fatty deposits in the artery that takes blood to the penis. However, Erectile Dysfunction can occur due to both Physical and Psychological reasons.

 Some of the causes include:

• High blood pressure/High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Injury to the nerves going to the penis
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Stress
• Anxiety
• Side effects to certain medication

 Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction have improved recently, and with the correct diagnosis it can easily be treated. These treatments work by improving the blood flow to the penis.

 If you are suffering from Erectile Dysfunction, you can visit our Pharmacy in Islington for a consultation with our Pharmacist, who will then recommend the best course of treatment. All consultations are carried out in our private consultation room away from the public under complete confidentiality. We are open 7 days a week, so call us now to book your consultation.  

8. New Medicine Service (NMS)

Though not that common, at some point it is possible that your GP will look to change your medication, either completely, or by simply lowering your dosage. If this has happened to you, and you are unsure about your new medication, you may find it helpful to know you can get all the support you need with the New Medicine Service (NMS).

 The New Medicine Service is designed to make the process of changing to new medication easier. With NMS, you will be able to get advice and information from our Pharmacist on a regular basis. The time between each consultation can be decided upon, but it will essentially mean you will be able to get the most out of your new medication in the safest way.

 However, only medications for certain conditions are covered under the New Medicine Service. These include:

• Asthma
• Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Blood thinning medication

 At Dermacia pharmacy in Islington, our highly experienced pharmacist can offer you advice and information on your new medication. We have our own private consultation room, so we can discuss your new medication in private under complete confidentiality.

 If you are based in or around North London and would like to take advantage of the New Medicine Service, please visit us at our Pharmacy in Islington or call us for more information.

 9. Medicine Use Review

It is important if you are taking medication on a regular basis long term, or are taking multiple medication that you get regular reviews done with your Pharmacist, so they can ensure you know which tablets are for what condition and that you are taking them correctly and safely. It is also an opportunity to investigate the effectiveness of the medication for your treatment.   

 The Medicine Use Review is free service as part of the NHS that that gives you the opportunity to discuss your medication with our Pharmacist. If you are taking several medications or have a long-term condition, you are entitled to our Medicine Use Review service.

 Dermacia Pharmacy is based in Islington and has highly trained staff at your service. All our consultations are held in a private room, so you can discuss any concerns or questions you have in private under full confidentiality. We are open 7 days a week, so contact us now to find out more about our Medicine Use Review service. 

10. Blood Pressure Check

You need a certain amount of pressure in your arteries in order to pump blood round your body. This pressure changes as your heart beats, being highest as your heart contracts and being lowest while the heart relaxes.

 When the pressure in your arteries gets too high, it is called hypertension or simply put you are said to have high blood pressure. This puts a serious burden on your heart, which increases your risk of getting heart attacks and strokes. High blood pressure doesn’t cause any signs or symptoms, and many people will not know if they are suffering from it. There are currently 16 million people in the UK diagnosed with high blood pressure.

 There are many factors that can cause high blood pressure including poor diet, lack of fruit and vegetables, inactivity or being overweight. As having high blood pressure does not warrant any signs or symptoms, it is important to get your blood pressure checked once every five years for a healthy adult over 40, or once every year for someone at risk of high blood pressure.

 At Dermacia Pharmacy we offer FREE blood pressure checks to all our patients and to the local community in Islington. The test is very quick and simple and you also get the opportunity discuss your results with our Pharmacist in our private consultation room. So come visit Dermacia pharmacy in Islington for your FREE blood pressure check and improve your life today. We will also give you advice and information on how to lower your blood pressure and can make a plan for regular check ups.

11. Emergency Medication Supply

If you have run out of your medication and it isn’t possible for you to get a prescription in time, then you may still be able to get an emergency supply until a prescription is ready. In order to get an emergency supply, it should be a medicine that has been prescribed to you by a healthcare professional like a Doctor or Dentist in the UK, and you must provide evidence that you have taken this medicine before.

 If the medication was dispensed from our Islington pharmacy, it will be easier for you to get an Emergency Medication Supply, as we will have it stored in our records. This is not a NHS service, so a charge may be applicable for your emergency supply. We are not able to provide an emergency supply on these types of medication:

 Controlled Drugs

• Insulin, Ointment, Cream or Asthma inhaler
• Contraceptive Pill
• Liquid oral antibiotics

 We are open 7 days a week, so contact us immediately if you have run out of medication. It is important to say, if the medication is particularly important, you should not waste any time in contacting us. 

12. Food Intolerance Testing

Food intolerance is becoming more common and can have a huge impact upon how a person feels during the day. If you are concerned that you may be intolerant to some food types, then Dermacia can provide food intolerance testing in Islington. Some of the symptoms of food intolerance include:

• Asthma
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Depression
• Diarrhoea
• Fibromyalgia
• Gastritis
• Headaches
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Migraine
• Itchy Skin
• Weight Control Issues
• Sleep Problems

Symptoms will vary from person to person and these are only some of the symptoms that can be experienced.  We also provide food intolerance blood tests at our London pharmacy and these blood tests cover the following foods types and foods.

• Cereals. Many people suffer from intolerance to cereal and our tests check for:

Corn, Durum Wheat, Gluten, Oats, Rice, Rye, Wheat.

• Nuts & Beans. A lot of people suffer from intolerance to nuts and beans and our tests check for:

Almond, Brazil Nut, Cashew, Cocoa Bean, Peanut, Legume Mix (pea, lentil, haricot), Soya Bean, Walnut.

• Meats. Meat intolerance is not uncommon and our tests check for:

Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pork.

• Fish. An increasing number of people suffer from intolerance to fish and our tests check for:

Freshwater Fish Mix (salmon, trout), Shellfish Mix (shrimp, prawn, crab, lobster, mussel), Tuna, White Fish Mix (haddock, cod, plaice)

• Vegetables. It may be that you are intolerance to vegetables and our tests check for:

Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Celery, Cucumber, Leek, Peppers (red, green, yellow), Potato.

• Fruits. It may be that you are intolerant to certain fruit, and our tests check for:

Apple, Blackcurrant, Grapefruit, Melon Mix (cantaloupe, water melon), Olive, Orange & Lemon, Strawberry, Tomato

• Other. We also provide tests for the following intolerances:

Egg, Cow’s Milk, Garlic, Ginger, Mushroom, Tea, Yeast.

The standard cost of an intolerance test and receiving professional guidance is usually £95 but at Dermacia Pharmacy, we are currently offering our intolerant tests and full professional support from our team for only £75.

We can provide you with the results on the same day and our appointments are short lasting, so you can even pop in on your lunchbreak for a food intolernace test in Islington.