Tinahely Pharmacy

Tinahely Pharmacy Tinahely Pharmacy has over 50 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry is an independent fami

Tinahely Pharmacy has over 50 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry is an independent family run pharmacy with a proud tradition of setting immaculate customer service standards and exceeding our customers’ expectations. Our dedication to customer service is paralleled by the impeccable standards we demand from our staff who are always available to offer a helping hand. In-store you’ll find shelves stocked with cosmetics, make-up, perfumes and toiletries, speak to our staff in confidence in our private consultation room or arrange a health screening, claim your prescription or just stop by for a friendly chat.

Gift hampers made to order!
26/11/2016

Gift hampers made to order!

New vaccines will be introduced next monthWill target illnesses common in young childrenChildren will be able to avail o...
23/11/2016

New vaccines will be introduced next month

Will target illnesses common in young children

Children will be able to avail of two new vaccines from December 1, following an agreement between the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO), the Department of Health and the HSE.

From that date, any babies born after October 1 of this year can avail of the Meningococcal B and rotavirus vaccines, in addition to the other vaccines that are routinely given as part of the Primary Childhood Immunisation Programme.

Earlier this month, concerns had been raised that the new vaccines would not be introduced as planned on December 1, due to a dispute over fees. The IMO and the National Association of General Practitioners both said that GPs would not meet the deadline unless agreement on a fee for the extra workload involved with this scheme could be reached.

GPs currently receive €300 for childhood vaccinations. As part of this latest agreement, they will receive an additional €80 for each child who is vaccinated.

Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial infections that can cause meningitis and septicaemia. It can occur at any age, but is most common in children under the age of five and particularly in those under the age of 12 months.

Most cases are caused by Meningococcal B and C, however, the introduction of a Meningococcal C vaccine in 2000 led to a dramatic fall in associated cases. This latest vaccine has been shown to be very effective, providing almost 90% protection against Meningococcal B bacteria types.

Meanwhile, rotavirus is a viral infection which causes diarrhoea and vomiting in babies and children under the age of five. It is highly infectious and is most common in winter and spring.

While most children will recover at home, some will need to be admitted to hospital. Every year in Ireland, almost 1,000 children under the age of five are admitted to hospital with this infection.

Commenting on the new vaccination schedule, the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, said that he was ‘very pleased' that these new vaccines are to be added and he thanked the IMO for its engagement on delivering this new programme.

Also commenting on the issue, Dr Padraig McGarry of the IMO noted that the introduction of these vaccines ‘is an important public health policy'.

"This agreement is good for newborns and their parents. It will improve health outcomes for children and will ensure that the vaccines continue to be delivered in general practice where the work of GPs has ensured high uptake rates of essential vaccine programmes," he said.

PHARMACISTS WARN DRIVERS TO BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE DANGERS WHEN TAKING PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS.The Irish Pharmacy Union is ...
21/11/2016

PHARMACISTS WARN DRIVERS TO BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE DANGERS WHEN TAKING PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS.

The Irish Pharmacy Union is urging drivers to be aware of the dangers of driving while taking medicines, and advises that anyone taking medication, particularly medicines which can cause drowsiness, should consult their pharmacist about whether it is safe to drive.

This warning was made following the disclosure of an internal Road Safety Authority report that has found that 30% of people who died in road crashes in Ireland in 2013 had taken some form of prescription medicine. According to RTÉ, which obtained the report under the Freedom of Information Act, prescription sedatives are almost as common as alcohol in road deaths.

Caitriona O’ Riordan, a pharmacist and member of the Executive Committee of the Irish Pharmacy Union, said that this data was very disturbing, “Neither the Gardaí nor the RSA know if the medications that the unfortunate crash victims concerned were taking had been prescribed or were obtained illegally, but the key point is that there are possible side-effects from some medications, and it’s vitally important that before driving people should ask their pharmacist if there is any possibility that the medicine may impact on their ability to drive safely.

“Many medications carry warnings to be aware of the dangers of drowsiness or other side-effects, and those warnings are there for a reason; it is absolutely vital that everyone taking medications discusses possible side-effects with their pharmacist and also reads the advisory notes with the medication,” she concluded.

New in !
17/11/2016

New in !

Now stocking sleek make up!
17/11/2016

Now stocking sleek make up!

Most over-50s know little about shinglesConfusion over link with chickenpoxJust one in five people over the age of 50 in...
16/11/2016

Most over-50s know little about shingles

Confusion over link with chickenpox

Just one in five people over the age of 50 in Ireland is well informed about shingles, a new survey has found.

Shingles is a viral disease that affects the nerves and surrounding skin. It is caused by the herpes varicella-zoster virus, which also causes chickenpox. Once a person has had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in their nervous system. If this virus becomes reactivated, it becomes shingles.

Symptoms include a painful, blistering rash on the body. Some 20% of adults over the age of 50 in Ireland have developed shingles.

The survey of 372 adults over the age of 50 found that while all had heard of shingles, only one in five was well informed about it. Two in three people knew little about the condition.

Overall, women appeared to know more about the condition than men, however there seemed to be a lot of confusion about the link between shingles and chickenpox.

Half of people thought these were the same illness, while just four in 10 knew that if a person has not had chickenpox, they can catch it from someone who has shingles.

The results of the survey were launched as part of the Healthy Ageing campaign, which is supported by Age Action Ireland, Chronic Pain Ireland and Sanofi Pasteur MSD.

"We urge people to talk to their healthcare professional if they would like further information on the management or prevention of this disease. Shingles can be very uncomfortable for the sufferer, and can also lead to a condition known as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is an extremely painful condition and difficult to treat," commented Chronic Pain Ireland chairman, John Lindsay.

The survey was carried out by Empathy Research in September 2016.

PHARMACISTS WARN THAT ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREATS TO PATIENT SAFETY IN IRELANDIn the we...
14/11/2016

PHARMACISTS WARN THAT ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREATS TO PATIENT SAFETY IN IRELAND

In the week leading up to European Antibiotics Awareness Day (Friday 18 November), pharmacists today warned that antibiotics need to be respected as a precious life-saving medicine to be used sparingly and appropriately and only when absolutely necessary.

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics is detrimental to the future health of all patients and is putting patients at risk, according to the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), the representative body for community pharmacists.

IPU President Daragh Connolly commenting on the dangers of the overuse of antibiotics said, “Antibiotic resistance is one of the most significant threats to patient safety in Ireland. Repeated and improper use of antibiotics is the single most important factor leading to antibiotic resistance in Ireland and around the world. If we allow antibiotic resistance to grow, the antibiotics used to treat infections today will become ineffective or will stop working altogether in the future. This will not only cripple our ability to fight routine infections but will also undermine the treatment of more complicated infections, especially in patients with chronic diseases.”

He warned that antibiotics will not work on viruses like colds and flu, and overuse can lead to bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotic.

“It has been medically proven that antibiotics are only effective for bacterial infections and do not work for the common cold, cough, sore throat or sinus infection, which are caused by viruses. It is important to remember too that flu is an extremely contagious respiratory illness and can lead to serious illness, even death, particularly for elderly patients and those suffering from chronic illnesses or a weakened immune system. The flu vaccination, which is available in your local pharmacy, is the best way to reduce your chances of getting seasonal flu and spreading it to others,” added Mr Connolly.

Mr Connolly also encouraged patients to do their part in reducing unnecessary antibiotic use and offered the following advice:

Don’t take antibiotics for colds and flu.
If you do need to take an antibiotic, take it exactly as prescribed and finish the full course even if you are feeling better.
Do not save antibiotics for later use or share them with others.
Don’t expect to be prescribed antibiotics for viral conditions.

Nurses to be balloted for industrial actionStaff on frontline 'extremely angry'Nurses and midwives are to be balloted fo...
10/11/2016

Nurses to be balloted for industrial action

Staff on frontline 'extremely angry'

Nurses and midwives are to be balloted for industrial action over a number of issues, including the failure to recruit more staff.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), it has made this decision following a review of the outcome of 12 regional consultation meetings it held with its members, which focused on issues of pay and working conditions.

It noted that every meeting reported ‘extreme anger from nurses and midwives on the frontline'. Multiple examples of poor working conditions were also reported, including persistent overcrowding with no additional staff, excessive unpaid working hours and repeated episodes of missed care when it came to the acute care of older people and people with disabilities.

As a result, the executive council of the INMO believes that the heath, safety and welfare of staff and patients is now being compromised on a daily basis.

It will ballot its members for a campaign of industrial action, which will begin with a work to rule, before being followed by a series of one day work stoppages.

The aim of the industrial action is to secure incentives aimed at enhancing the ability of employers to recruit and retain nursing staff, and to secure adequate staffing levels, or to curtail services to a level necessary to provide safe care in a safe working environment.

The INMO said that it is still committed to the Lansdowne Road Agreement, but it insisted that the pay restoration process must now be accelerated by Government.

"Our members have spoken and have clearly indicated they can no longer endure the working environment and will no longer accept having their professional judgement disrespected or ignored by management.

"Nursing and midwifery is in crisis and our health services are failing to meet the needs of patients. This action is absolutely necessary and justified in the interests of patients and our members. Accepted worldwide evidence demonstrates that patients are safest and mortality rates lower when there are sufficient nurses and midwives working in positive environments providing their care," commented INMO president, Martina Harkin-Kelly.

Responding to the news, the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, said he was pleased that the INMO had confirmed its commitment to the Lansdowne Road Agreement and that he looks forward to meeting with the organisation next week to discuss this and other issues.

"I am very well aware of the challenges with recruiting staff nurses and nurses with specialist skills in specific areas. We are competing with all other western countries to attract and retain nurses in specific areas. The HSE continues to implement schemes and programmes to attract nurses back to Ireland and I have made it clear that I want a major focus on driving these programmes and getting results," he commented.

The ballot will begin later this month and end on December 15, at which time the executive council will review the results. If members have voted for industrial action, the council will then decide when it is to begin.

Less salt being used in processed foodsBut people still consuming too muchThere has been a significant reduction in the ...
07/11/2016

Less salt being used in processed foods

But people still consuming too much

There has been a significant reduction in the salt content of a number of food products available in Ireland, particularly processed meats, such as rashers and sausages, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has said.

It has published an update of its annual salt monitoring programme, which has been monitoring levels of salt in foods here since 2003.

As part of this programme, the FSAI examined 530 samples of processed foods across four product categories in 2015 - processed meats, breads, breakfast cereals and spreadable fats.

In the category of processed meats, rashers were found to have 27% less salt, cooked ham had 15% less while sausage products had 11% less.

In the bread category, wholegrain breads were found to have 29% less salt, wholemeal had 25% less and white bread had 17% less.

Among spreadable fats, all blended spreads had 27% less salt. Meanwhile breakfast cereals in particular saw a big drop in salt levels, with cornflake-based cereals seeing a reduction of 63%, rice-based recording a 48% drop, bran-based a 39% drop and multigrain cereals recording a 38% drop in salt.

However despite these reductions, the FSAI warned that Irish people are still consuming too much salt. The recommended daily intake of salt for an adult is 5g. However, the estimated average daily intake of Irish adults is currently 11g among men and 8.5g among women.

"Salt plays an important role in the diet, but people in Ireland are simply eating too much of it and this increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. The addition of salt at the table or in cooking by consumers can represent up to 20-30% of a person's total salt intake.

"The FSAI is calling on consumers to read product labels, select low-salt or salt-free options when choosing products and to cut back on the high levels of salt added during cooking and at the table. If you are unsure about the level of salt you are consuming in any product, please refer to the nutrition labelling reference intake (RI), which will give you the percentage of RI per portion of food," commented Dr Wayne Anderson of the FSAI.

While the FSAI will continue to independetly monitor salt levels, it believes that the reformulation of foods must be driven by the food industry.

"Going into the future, the industry needs to pursue further research and development to achieve further reductions where possible," Dr Anderson added.

Smartphones disrupting children's sleepCan have big impact on overall healthChildren who use screen-based media devices ...
02/11/2016

Smartphones disrupting children's sleep

Can have big impact on overall health

Children who use screen-based media devices at bedtime, such as smartphones and tablets, are much more likely to get poor sleep, which can have major consequences for their overall health, a new study has found.

Welsh researchers carried out a review of 20 studies involving more than 125,000 children. They found that those who used screen-based media devices at bedtime had more than double the risk of experiencing inadequate sleep duration - in other words, not getting enough sleep.

These children were also more likely to experience poorer quality sleep and to be affected by daytime sleepiness.

"Our study is the first to consolidate results across existing research and provides further proof of the detrimental effect of media devices on both sleep duration and quality," commented Dr Ben Carter of the University of Cardiff.

He noted that while sleep is essential, it is often an ‘undervalued' part of a child's development. A regular lack of sleep, he said, can cause a range of health problems, including sedentary behaviour, obesity, poor diet, reduced immunity and mental health issues.

Current research suggests that as many as seven in 10 children and almost nine in 10 teenagers have at least one media device in their bedroom and most of these are used near or at bedtime.

These devices are thought to negatively impact on sleep in a number of ways, including delaying or disrupting sleep, keeping the brain psychologically stimulated when it should be trying to relax and adversely affecting the circadian rhythm (body clock).

"With the ever growing popularity of portable media devices, such as smartphones and tablets, the problem of poor sleep amongst children is set to get worse. Our findings suggest that an integrated approach involving parents, teachers and healthcare professionals is necessary to improve sleep habits near bedtime," Dr Carter said

Details of these findings are published in the journal, JAMA Pediatrics.

Have a great long weekend!
28/10/2016

Have a great long weekend!

Heartburn can have serious impactCan disturb sleep and cause physical painOver half of Irish adults suffer with symptoms...
28/10/2016

Heartburn can have serious impact

Can disturb sleep and cause physical pain

Over half of Irish adults suffer with symptoms of heartburn and the majority of these say the condition has a negative impact on their lives, a new survey has found.

According to the findings, 51% of adults in Ireland suffer with heartburn symptoms and 78% of these feel that the condition has a negative impact on them.

Among sufferers, 49% said that the condition disturbs their sleep, 39% have to limit their choice of foods and 29% feel physical pain as a result.

Heartburn occurs when gastric acid passes from the stomach back up into the oesophagus (gullet) because the lower oesophageal sphincter has not closed tightly enough.

One of the main irritants in gastric acid is hydrochloric acid. The stomach has a special lining that prevents this strong acid from damaging it, but the gullet has no such lining. Therefore when the gastric acid flows back into the oesophagus, the lining of it becomes inflamed due to the burning effect of the hydrochloric acid.

Typical symptoms of heartburn include a burning feeling behind the breastbone and an acidic taste in the mouth.

The survey noted that one in four sufferers feel that the condition disturbs their day, while one in 10 feel it negatively impacts on their social lives or relationships.

"Heartburn is a relatively common condition that is not always a cause for concern. However, frequent heartburn is something that can have a serious impact on day-to-day life and should be dealt with in an effective manner. If you are suffering from heartburn more than once a week, my recommendation is to discuss your symptoms with your local pharmacist to ensure you are benefitting from the appropriate treatment," commented GP, Dr Ciara Kelly.

Treatments available from pharmacies include antacids, which work to neutralise existing acid, and proton pump inhibitors, which reduce the production of acid in the stomach.

Dr Kelly pointed out that heartburn can worsen if it is not treated. She also noted that while there are a number of ‘trigger foods' that can make the condition worse, dietary choices are not always to blame.

"Heartburn is something that can affect our lifestyles, cause embarrassment, limit the foods we can enjoy and even affect our relationships or social life. In addition, over time, the backflow of acid can cause damage to the lining of the oesophagus and can cause serious medical conditions. For this reason, during Heartburn Awareness Week we are encouraging people to consider their symptoms and to seek more information from their pharmacist," she added.

In addition to speaking to their pharmacist, people with heartburn are advised to consider the following tips:
-Keep a food diary and pay attention to your body and what appears to cause your heartburn to flare up
-Do not eat late at night. Having a full stomach before you lie down for bed will increase acid backflow and put pressure on the digestive symptom
-Avoid spicy foods, particularly chillies
-Add acid neutralising foods to your diet, such as bananas, porridge and almond milk
-Do not drink alcohol to excess
-Reduce tea and coffee intake, particularly before bedtime.

The survey of 1,001 people aged 18 and older was carried out last month.

Address

Dwyer Square, Tinahely
Wicklow
COUNTY

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

(0402)38168

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