St Leonard's Pharmacy Exeter

09/11/2023

The reason behind the shortages explained.

Over 100 medicines face supply issues, says the BGMA which criticised the Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access.

30/10/2023

*FULL AND PART TIME POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE NOW WITH IMMEDIATE START*
The healthcare scene is changing and pharmacy as profession is undergoing a transformation offering a broader range of professional services with more to come! We are frontline healthcare providers and an invaluable asset to our community. Join our expanding pharmacy chain.

Full training is provided and experienced staff are also welcome to apply. Candidates with for eg. retail or care experience looking to develop their careers, learn invaluable skills are most welcome to apply. Graduates, people who've never worked in healthcare and those interested in medicines and healthcare are also invited to apply. You will gain knowledge in medicines and public health, gain accreditation and bring value to those we serve as we strive to meet the healthcare demands of a growing and ageing population.

We are an independent, Somerset and Devon based, family run business and pride ourselves on hard work and excellent standards. There is excellent scope for career progression both commercially and professionally. I have built this business by recruiting talented and hard-working people who push themselves to realise their true potential and be the best version of themselves. If you're interested or want to know more, please send me a private message.

Confidentiality is assured so please don't ask questions on here. Please send your CV and 2 references to maxpunni@hotmail.com.

19/07/2023

If you are or have been affected by drugs shortages, and are willing to be interviewed we'd like to hear from you! Whatsapp or messenger me on 07973 504890.

We're working with national media agencies to highlight this growing problem. Shortages of atorvastatin, ozempic, zapain, utrogestan, sitagliptin etc and anything else. We'd like to hear about your experience to press the government to fix this issue urgently.

Patients shouldn't have to go without medication. It's a basic function of pharmacies to fill prescriptions quickly. But, if those vital medications aren't available then serious issues can develop not to mention the stress and anxiety of sourcing alternatives.

The supply network is broken and the department of health need to know. It's happening on a scale we've not experienced before and urgent corrective action is needed. Please get in touch confidentially and without prejudice.

07/07/2023

Sadly, tonight was our last night open until 11pm. Our hours will be trimmed to cut expenses in line with government cuts saving approx £300 per day. Pharmacy payments have been cut in real terms by 16% over the past 4 years and there remains a £1.1bn deficit in core funding and it's growing. This has resulted in the Lloyds Pharmacy chain exiting the high street and Boots have announced 300 closures. This throws into doubt the fate of small and rural pharmacies.

Thanks to all those who signed our petition and wrote letters of support to our local MP. All running costs have soared, the pharmacy supply chain is fraught and the sector continues to experience record shortages of common stock lines and motivated staff. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the NHS. A national institute in tatters that has been deliberately underfunded for the past 12 years. Change has never been more important. This too shall pass I'm sure.

We remain committed however to fight our corner and our services remain unaffected. We have however been forced to trim our hours and hope this doesnt inconvenience you too much. We're still open 7 days a week and long hours too. Demand has never been higher but with reduced remuneration and dispensing items at a loss to keep patients happy, we have resolved to keep the show on the road. This has never been more challenging.

We are determined and steadfast in offering you the best possible care and service, come what may. Many new patients have joined our ranks and we have grown from obscurity to widespread recognition, chiefly due to our exemplary and dedicated team. Bless you all.

Tonight I finished my last shift ending at 11:16pm. I have done this since 2009 and have worked almost every weekend since then often questioning my own sanity and engaging in deep introspective and existential soul searching. Perhaps a symptom of being knackered! On my way home I made an urgent delivery to an elderly patient. She rewarded me with a box of Dairy Milk. Bless her and bless you all! A fitting tribute. Goodnight x

19/06/2023

Sorry to hear about the negative experiences. Please feel free to message me directly as there's a lot going on!

A pharmacy designed for 6000 patients is now regularly serving over 10000. Combined with closures and the collapse of Lloyds and NHS primary healthcare services, its fair to say we're up against it. However, we're not making excuses, we've invested heavily and emptied next door to extend our storage and dispensing areas so we can deal better with this masive volume increase. The supply network post Brexit is faltering and surgeries are struggling. On top of that urgent and emergency prescriptions are sent to us and people who order at the last minute (advise one week early) and expect their prescription to be ready immediately. Navigating this is a minefield and te staff are robust and resilient. It's not for the faint hearted I can assure you. On top, it'll be flu jab season soon! Amidst all this, pharmacies are struggling and even closing. We're not. Despite a £1.1bn shortfall in core funding and a 16% pay cut over the last 3 years (in real terms), we remain steadfast and committed. St Leonards St Leonard's Pharmacy Exeter FB page for our recent announcements on this issue.

Thanks to our wonderful, patient and understanding patients, old and new. We hope you appreciate the improvements and enhanced service levels wen they're rolled out next mont. We still offer free deliveries to the most vulnerable. Please order a week early to allow extra time for all of this. Bless you all and we're always happy to help.

08/06/2023

**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT**
As a direct result of government cuts to our sector, we regret our legendary opening times will change on Monday 10th July 2023 onwards to:
MONDAY TO FRIDAY: 9AM TO 9PM
SATURDAY: 9AM TO 8PM
SUNDAY: 9AM TO 4PM

We have had to trim our hours and operating costs during these perilous times for the Pharmacy Sector. An impact assessment reveals that these are our quietest times and will have the least impact on our core services. Everything else remains unchanged. We are still open longer than anybody else in the region and still seven days a week. All services, free delivery, repeat prescriptions, flu jabs and emergency supplies remain fully intact.

Thank you to everybody who signed our petition and wrote letters of support. Until the government addresses the £1.1 billion shortfall in core funding that has led to pharmacy closures, lack of access and recruitment shortages, the situation will remain challenging for primary care services in general including pharmacy.

We will always strive to give you the excellent service you deserve and we are blessed to have such a committed and dynamic team 🙏

25/04/2023

Times are tough if you haven't already noticed. Community pharmacy is suffering closures and we are deluged with huge volumes of work whilst funding is cut. We remain committed to you and all of our patients including the elderly, chronically sick and most vulnerable in our communities. Please, please write to our local MP to raise the level of discussion in parliament before it's too late! Please use the template below and circulate as widely as possible. Pharmacy has always given more than it takes and now we need your support!

Dear [LOCAL MP...INSERT NAME]

My name is …… and I am a patient at …….. Pharmacy which is situated in your constituency. I was horrified to learn that pharmacies up and down the country are closing, and more closures are being predicted this year. We have naticed a stark deterioration in service levels brought on by inadequate funding and restricted access to stock and services. The prospect of losing my local pharmacy, I cannot begin to comprehend. To lose the access, convenience and professionalism of my local pharmacy would be unimaginable to me and my family.

My local pharmacy is always professional and very accessible. They have always been helpful going above and beyond to ensure I receive my medicines in an efficient and timely way. The reassurance support and advice I receive is invaluable. This has been tested to the limit recently and I can see how they struggle to meet demand. Sometimes I have to queue and often medicines are unavailable and I have to wait for them to arrive or contact my GP for alternatives.

Delivery services are available when I’m unable to attend and their vaccination service has been a positive step for me.

I have rarely contacted my local MP about anything. On this matter I feel so strongly I hope you can help to support community pharmacy and indeed pharmacies like mine who seem to me to be valued and admired by not only myself but the public at large.

Yours Sincerely,

30/03/2023

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY PREPAYMENT CERTIFICATE AVAILABLE.

The Department of Health and Social Care announced they are introducing the HRT PPC to reduce the cost of HRT prescriptions. This service will be available from 1 April 2023 and you will be able to buy an HRT PPC from this page.

26/03/2023

Great to have Marcus Fysh visit us today at South Petherton Pharmacy and listen to frontline issues that affect Primary Healthcare Services during these difficult times. We all know what it's like at the moment! Gratitude and respect to my devoted and dedicated teams at all our branches who commit daily to face head on the challenges and anxiety that these uncertain times have served us. It's a good job they got the main door fixed before he arrived. That could have been very embarrassing although perhaps a metaphor for the way things are with healthcare in general.

Of course this affects St Leonard's Pharmacy Exeter too and broader region and nation.

25/03/2023

19/03/2023

*CONJUNCTIVITIS* is a very common MINOR AILMENT and easily treated over the counter at our pharmacy. No need to call your surgery or NHS111... just give us a call. Babies aged 1 month and upwards and of course everybody else welcome. If it's for a child aged under 2 years just mention MINOR AILMENTS SCHEME. Spread the word!