Options Pharmacy

27/10/2023

Roadworks locally mean we are temporarily without phones! Apologies for the disruption. We look forward to resuming our usual excellent standard of service very soon.

04/09/2023

*OPTIONS PHARMACY*
TEL: 01935 425321
The future of community pharmacies is uncertain in these perilous political times. With talks of closures and many reducing their staffing and stock levels, rest assured, WE ARE OPEN AS NORMAL AND IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL for the people of YEOVIL, EAST AND WEST COKER and surrounding areas. Whether you're with a local practice or are located to one further away, we are ready, willing and able to fulfil your prescription quickly, efficiently and with a smile! It's easy to transfer your prescription over to us. Just call us with your details and NHS number and we can organise this for you.

We're tucked away just off West Coker Road behind Options Hair Salon and if you haven't heard about us yet, you may need to now. We offer you Options you may not be aware of. Come and check us out! Opening hours are as stated and we don't close for lunch:
MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9AM TO 6PM
SATURDAYS 9AM TO 1PM
SUNDAYS CLOSED

We offer FREE DELIVERY to the elderly and housebound, subject to conditions. So, if your regular pharmacy is closed or closing, or you are unhappy with the level of service you receive, we would welcome you transferring your prescriptions over to us. We are delighted to welcome you aboard.

We use a platform of 10 different suppliers to source items other organisations can't obtain. Many people use us for this reason and all we ask in return is you nominate us to be your preferred pharmacy. We also offer EMERGENCY SUPPLIES of medication of you are in need of meds urgently. You will need your NHS number and provide personal data of you need to access this facility. Your data is confidential and protected and governed by strict GDPR regulations, so you're safe with us.

We will also be offering FLU AND POSSIBLY COVID JABS TOO. This service is currently under negotiation and will be announced on our FB Page in due course. Please like and follow our page here: Options Pharmacy Pharmacy

30/07/2023

TEL: 01935 425321 We've upped our game and upgraded our suppliers and processes recently. If you're affected by queues, delays and unfulfilled prescriptions then give us a call! We're located on West Coker Road and offer free delivery anywhere in Yeovil to housebound patients.

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.

26/04/2023

The NHS has not been treating Pharmacy fairly nor kindly, despite the hard work we’ve all been putting into the community, especially during Covid. Since 2015/2016 the NHS budget has increased 32% in line with inflation, minimum wages have increased by 44% and the NHS fee by 18% (none of which is retained by the pharmacy, indeed the pharmacy has to pay card payment handling fees on top). Meanwhile, there’s a £1.1 billion shortfall in the pharmacy sector, with pharmacy funding dropping 30% in real terms, the NHS taking a further 20% “discount” on generic lines, leading to ~700 pharmacy closures, which is only going to increase with the big multiple closures in 2023.

We would ask all local residents to support the sector, including our own pharmacy, by signing the petition as well as sending our MP, Marcus Fysh, a letter and encouraging all patients to do so. AIM (Association of independent multiples) are asking contractors, their staff and patients to participate in this activism in order to try to change the government’s perception. The “Save Our Pharmacies” petition has been running since early March, yet only has 63,000 signatures. There’re 67,000,000 people in the UK, almost all of which will have used a pharmacy at some point and many are dependent on. Yet less than 0.1% have signed. To put into contrast, >390,000 signed petitions for Golf to be continued during the pandemic! Yet this relates to thousand of jobs, patients’ wellbeing, and has been pretty much ignored.

We’ve included a template letter (see below). You can amend it to reflect yur personal views and circumstances if you wish. We’ll print some also, so we can all ask patients to support the pharmacy sector, we can help send those letters to our MP or they can email him directly at marcus.fysh.mp@parliament.uk

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 Options Pharmacy and the broader area, region and nation too.

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!