omeprazole or lansoprazole to treat acid reflux without seeing your GP
acne treatment without seeing the GP
Realising you have a problem with alcohol is the first big step to getting help.
You may need help if:
Getting the right support can be crucial to maintaining control in the future. Only relying on family, friends or carers for this often is not enough.
Ask our Pharmacist about what longer term support is available in your area. Self-help or mutual aid groups (groups such as AA or SMART Recovery groups) are accessible in most areas.
An allergy is when your body reacts to a substance it has become sensitive to. For example, dust, food, pollen, medication etc. Allergens in food and other substances cause your body to have an immune reaction. Hay fever is one of the most common allergic conditions. In the UK alone, around 13 million people suffer from hay fever. Although it usually begins during childhood/teenage years, you can get it at any age.
The symptoms of hay fever occur when a person has had an allergic reaction to pollen. Some of the symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, itchy/watery eyes, wheezing, coughing etc. As much as we can try to avoid pollen, unfortunately, sometimes it is just not avoidable. Particularly in the summer when there is naturally more pollen around, and we tend to spend more time outside.
While there is currently no cure for hay fever, there is a way you can relieve the symptoms, at least to a certain extent. A range of antihistamines are available at our pharmacy to help you prevent an allergic reaction from happening. There are tablets, nasal sprays and even products to help soothe symptoms, for example, sprays for itchy eyes. We also offer Fexofenadine (Telfast) which is a prescription strength antihistamine for those that suffer greatly from hay fever. After a quick consult with our pharmacist, you can purchase this from our store to help soothe any symptoms.
Please come in store and speak to our pharmacists about your options to relive your symptoms.
We keep a carefully selected range of alternative, natural, homeopathic and herbal medicines and are always glad to advise on what’s best for you.
A pharmacist is another health expert you can turn to for asthma advice and support and you usually don't need an appointment. As well as your GP or asthma nurse, your local pharmacist is another highly trained healthcare professional who can answer questions about your asthma. If you have any concerns about your asthma, you can just walk into our pharmacy and ask to see the pharmacist.
This is useful because:
Ask the pharmacist how to get the best from your asthma medicines. You can ask your pharmacist about the asthma medicines you've been prescribed. This is useful if you have concerns about things like side effects, using your inhaler, or your inhaler not working properly.
You can also ask about any over-the-counter medicines you're taking to help your asthma, such as anti-histamines for hay fever.
Salbutamol Inhaler without a prescription or needing to see your GP
Whether its preparing for the arrival of your newborn, or you already are a parent you will find everything you need in our mother and baby ranges. We have everything from nappies and baby wipes to shampoo shields, baby food and baby clothes.
We know being a parent can be challenging at times, if you need any help or advice please speak to our pharmacist who can help.
Check your blood pressure
The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test.
All adults over 40 are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years. Getting this done is easy and could save your life.
You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including at our pharmacies. If you've not been diagnosed with high blood pressure and would like to get yours checked, contact or visit one of our branches.
If we find any potential signs of high blood pressure, we will refer you to your GP for further investigation and treatment if appropriate.
A simple blood test can help reduce your risk from some of the most serious conditions that typically show NO symptoms at all.
Blood screening is a medical process in which blood is scanned to test for a particular disease or condition. Although this procedure may be done for variety of reasons, the most common include Hepatitis screenings, pregnancy screenings, and screenings for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI). The use of a blood screenings may also be needed to check for things like Vitamin D levels and food intolerance.
It is known that food can cause many different types of reactions in the body. These may be evident in the skin (such as hives, rashes, itchiness, or swellings); the gut (such as reflux, vomiting, tummy pains, wind, diarrhoea, and constipation); when breathing (such as shortness of breath or a tight chest) or through generally feeling unwell. Some people put up with symptoms for years, which could get better if the foods causing these symptoms were cut out of the diet.
"Knowing what you're allergic to is key to managing your condition"
Finding out which foods are causing your symptoms can be straightforward for some people and incredibly tricky for others, dependent on what their symptoms are; how quickly the symptoms appear after eating a food; and which food (or foods) is causing a problem. We have partnered up with one of the largest independent providers of clinical laboratory diagnostic services in the UK. So that we provide our customers with the laboratory information required for diagnosis and treatment of medical disorders. Our blood screening service is painless, quick and carried out with the utmost discretion. The types of screenings offered at Bush Pharmacy are shown below, prices are heavily discounted with further discounts available on request. Please call us on 0208-7439254 or pop into the pharmacy for more information.
TESTS AVAILABLE
The Full STI test includes:
The Food Intolerance tests a complete intolerance profile including trees, weeds, grasses, moulds, animals as well as foods
Blood glucose tests, which can be conducted in our pharmacy through a simple blood test, measure the amount of glucose in your blood. Glucose is a simple sugar that provides energy for the body. The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach). When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy. However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This is because there's either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced doesn't work properly.
Although there are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight.
Body composition is a simple test that measures your body mass index, body fat, skeletal muscle percentages and waist circumference. A body composition test is one way to determine if your weight is healthy for your height since being overweight can strain your heart and lead to serious health problems.
A body composition test is recommended for everyone to for better insight into their health. Body composition testing is available at our Pharmacy for patients 18 and over.
We offer a wide range of the latest dental care products and accessories to help keep your gums and teeth in tip top condition. Please call or visit.
A member of our trained Pharmacy team will preform a HbA1c Diabetes Test. This test measures the recent average blood sugar (glucose) level. Because it is the average there is no need to fast and is more accurate than a simple blood glucose test. In order to preform the test a sample of blood will be taken from your thumb and is analysed in the Pharmacy. This normally takes 10 minutes to process. You will then be informed of the result and we can discuss any lifestyle changes required or refer you to your GP if necessary.
We provide the Discharge Medicines Service. The service has been established to help you understand your medicines and any changes when you leave hospital and to reduce incidences of avoidable harm caused by medicines.
No appointments needed, easily accessible location and just a quick consultation, we ensure a hassle free service to all our patients. Simply walk in and ask to speak to our friendly and professional pharmacist about the morning after pill.
Our pharmacist will need to see the person that the emergency contraception is intended for, and will need to ask a few questions regarding the patients’ medical history. This is done in the privacy of our consultation room and everything discussed is in complete confidence. The sooner you come to our pharmacy to take the morning after pill, the greater the chances of avoiding pregnancy.
If the Pharmacist feels like Levonelle One Step is not suitable for you, they will not give you the morning after pill, but advise you to see your health care professional.
We are one of the few pharmacies that are able to provide the morning after pill free of charge to patients who are aged 24 and under, and who meet the NHS criteria. Alternatively, the pill can be purchased privately from our pharmacy in Camden.
About Emergency Contraception (Levonelle One Step) -
When it comes to sex, even if you’ve taken precautions, sometimes things don’t quite go to plan. Accidents happen with contraception and things go wrong all the time. You may even just be worried that your contraceptive pill hasn’t worked. If you’ve had unprotected sex or you’re worried about contraception failure, here is some of the information you need to know about Levonelle One Step -
- Levonelle One Step is an emergency contraceptive that can be used within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex or if your contraceptive method has failed.
- There is one white tablet in the pack and it is most effective when taken within the first 12 hours
- The tablet contains a hormone called Levonorgestrel.
- Levonelle One Step is thought to work by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg or by preventing sperm from fertilising any egg that may have already been released
- If you are over 16 you can get Levonelle One Step over the counter at our Pharmacy
- If you are under 16 you cannot buy Levonelle One Step at the Pharmacy, you need to visit your GP or a Walk-In centre
- Levonelle One Step works to prevent a pregnancy becoming established, it does not work if you are already pregnant
- You should only use Levonelle One Step in emergencies, not as a regular form of contraception
Please note, there are other emergency contraceptive options available through your doctor or at a Walk-In centre.
If you do have any questions or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
No appointments needed, easily accessible location and just a quick consultation, we ensure a hassle free service to all our patients. Simply walk in and ask to speak to our friendly and professional pharmacist about the morning after pill.
Our pharmacist will need to see the person that the emergency contraception is intended for, and will need to ask a few questions regarding the patients’ medical history. This is done in the privacy of our consultation room and everything discussed is in complete confidence. The sooner you come to our pharmacy to take the morning after pill, the greater the chances of avoiding pregnancy.
If the Pharmacist feels like Levonelle One Step is not suitable for you, they will not give you the morning after pill, but advise you to see your health care professional.
We are one of the few pharmacies that are able to provide the morning after pill free of charge to patients who are aged 24 and under, and who meet the NHS criteria. Alternatively, the pill can be purchased privately from our pharmacy.
About Emergency Contraception (Levonelle One Step) -
When it comes to sex, even if you’ve taken precautions, sometimes things don’t quite go to plan. Accidents happen with contraception and things go wrong all the time. You may even just be worried that your contraceptive pill hasn’t worked. If you’ve had unprotected sex or you’re worried about contraception failure, here is some of the information you need to know about Levonelle One Step -
- Levonelle One Step is an emergency contraceptive that can be used within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex or if your contraceptive method has failed.
- There is one white tablet in the pack and it is most effective when taken within the first 12 hours
- The tablet contains a hormone called Levonorgestrel.
- Levonelle One Step is thought to work by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg or by preventing sperm from fertilising any egg that may have already been released
- If you are over 16 you can get Levonelle One Step over the counter at our Pharmacy
- If you are under 16 you cannot buy Levonelle One Step at the Pharmacy, you need to visit your GP or a Walk-In centre
- Levonelle One Step works to prevent a pregnancy becoming established, it does not work if you are already pregnant
- You should only use Levonelle One Step in emergencies, not as a regular form of contraception
Please note, there are other emergency contraceptive options available through your doctor or at a Walk-In centre.
If you do have any questions or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
If you have had sex without using contraception, or you think your contraception has failed, you may be able to use Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC). Every consultation is private and confidential and will be in a private consultation room. Our fully trained and accredited Pharmacist will supply EHC when appropriate to clients in line with the requirements of a locally agreed Patient Group Direction (PGD).
The PGD will specify the age range of clients that are eligible for the service; it may facilitate supply to young persons under 16 in appropriate circumstances. We will also provide support and advice to clients accessing the service, including advice on the avoidance of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) through safer sex and condom use, advice on the use of regular contraceptive methods and provide onward signposting to services that provide long-term contraceptive methods and diagnosis and management of STI’s. * Only available if commissioned in accordance with a local agreement.
Erection problems (impotence) are very common, particularly in men over 40. It's usually nothing to worry about, but you should see a GP if it keeps happening.
Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection. Causes of erection problems can be stress, tiredness, anxiety or drinking too much alcohol, and it's nothing to worry about.
If it happens more often, it may be caused by physical or emotional problems.
Medicine such as sildenafil is often used by doctors to treat erectile dysfunction. It is also available from our pharmacy. You no longer need a prescription to get sildenafil. You can have a private consultation with our pharmacist to make sure it's safe for you to take it.
We can advise you on buying and using thermometers and testing kits for home use. These show when a womens fertility is at its highest. Full information on how to use these kits is freely available from the pharmacist.
Make life easier for yourself and let us order your prescription on your behalf. Simply let us know what repeat medicines you need, a few days before they run out and we will arrange to collect it from your Doctor's surgery.
Is hair loss causing you distress? Are you worried about what to do? Losing your hair can greatly affect your confidence and self-esteem. It is an issue that affects both men and women, with male pattern baldness being the most common form. Most men are affected by male pattern baldness as they get older, but unfortunately, some men do start to suffer much earlier in life. But for both men and women even signs of slight thinning can cause concerns.
Whether you are dealing with hair loss, or even if you just want to get a head start to help ensure your hair stays healthy for as long as possible, we offer a range of products for both men and women. From vitamins and supplements to foams and shampoos, we even have products to help conceal thinning hair.
One of the main hair loss treatments we also offer is Finasteride (Propecia). Men who suffer from male pattern baldness are sensitive to a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, which causes damage to hair follicles. Finasteride (Propecia) is a prescription strength treatment that reduces the level of this particular hormone, and in turn reverses any balding. If you think you could benefit from this treatment come in store today, and speak to our pharmacist for a quick consultation to see if the treatment is suitable for you. If it is, you should be able to take the medication away with you that day. Please note, the medication is chargeable and is for men only.
Always keep in mind that hair regrowth isn’t instant and takes time. Results may vary from person to person and in some cases products must be used continuously to maintain the effects. But the earlier you start helping to maintain normal healthy hair growth, the better.
If you are worried about hair loss then come in store today and speak to a pharmacist about your options. Our pharmacists are trained to make sure they have the right knowledge and skills in order to help you with any concerns you may have.
Impetigo is a skin condition which is used by a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus. Classic signs and symptoms of impetigo are red sores that rupture and then form a yellow-brown crust. The sores usually occur around the nose and mouth and can spread to other areas of the body by the fingers, clothing and towels.
Our Pharmacy is registered to prescribe for Impetigo. If you are an adult or have a child over 2 years with a minor impetigo the Pharmacist can examine the area and advise on the best treatment for your impetigo symptoms.
Every year many hundreds of travellers from the UK catch malaria and in tens of cases it is fatal. Symptoms can start rapidly. The correct anti-malarial medication is essential. We offer a Private Malaria Prevention Service. After a confidential assessment by a trained Pharmacist, the correct anti-malarial medication is supplied and appropriate advice given to the patient.
We provide a needle exchange service where intravenous drug users can obtain clean sterile needles and syringes and safely dispose of used needles and syringes.
This service is designed to prevent people sharing or re using needles. It also reduces drug related harm and the transmission of blood borne bacterial and viral infections such as hepatitis B and C or HIV.
The service is lead by our Pharmacist in a non-judgemental manner and may lead to the user being referred to an appropriate drug treatment programme i.e. opioid substitute treatment in order to stop drug usage . Our Pharmacist can also advise on minimising the harms caused by drugs and suggest further support and help.
When you are prescribed a new medicine by your doctor our pharmacists can offer support and advice to ensure you take the new medication as prescribed without suffering any unwanted side effects or explain any further questions you may have. We usually do this by keeping in contact with you during the first 4 weeks of your new medicine being prescribed.
The service is only available for people living in England, and only for those who have been prescribed a new medicine for the conditions listed:
The NMS can help:
We provide a palliative care service. Palliative care drugs can sometimes be required quickly and this service ensures that there is appropriate access to a range of palliative care drugs, particularly outside of normal opening hours, and when treatment is needed urgently.
Many of the drugs used in palliative care are not usually used for other conditions and are often not stocked in community pharmacies. As a palliative care service provider we hold a stock of palliative care drugs for when needed right away. The service is suitable for patients receiving palliative care and those providing their care.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medication or you know of someone that finds it hard to remember, we can package medicines in our weekly medication pill strips. We can also offer this service free of charge. Please visit our PillPacPlus page or call us today for more information and we would be happy to explain the service.
Our Respiratory Clinic is for patients who suffer from Asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. The symptoms of asthma are variable and include episodes of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
COPD describes a progressive lung disease such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The disease is characterised by increasing breathlessness, persistent cough with phlegm, frequent chest infections and persistent wheezing.
During the clinic you will be given a full respiratory medication review by one of our Pharmacist Independent Prescribers in order to optimise your inhaled medication. They will concentrate on your symptoms, examine your PEFR and Oxygen saturation levels and go over the recommended inhaler technique to gain the best outcome from your inhaled medications. Please contact the pharmacy if you think this could benefit you.
Antibiotic tonsillitis treatment without a prescription or seeing your GP
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats we have ever faced, killing more than 8 million people a year around the world. According to the NHS, in the UK alone, smoking kills over 80,000 people every year and a further 500,000 people are admitted into hospital as a direct result of smoking.
Smoking has been linked to countless conditions from depression, infertility and asthma, to the more serious conditions such as lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease. It’s really not surprising that this is the case when you consider how many harmful substances there are in a cigarette. They have thousands of different chemicals, some of which are carcinogenic (cancer causing), and examples of others being acetone (used as nail polish remover), lead and cadmium (a highly toxic metal.)
The truth of the matter is, we all know how bad smoking is for our health, and a majority of smokers will say that they want to quit but giving up can be hard. Especially without the right help and support. That’s where our friendly and professional staff come in!
There is now more support than ever before, not just in the form of information, but also products designed to reduce cravings and to fight off any of the horrible withdrawal symptoms. One of the developments has been the introduction of Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT.) There are a variety of NRT products available:
Smoking is addictive because of the nicotine in cigarettes. That is why it is hard to quit. By starting one or even a combination of the above therapies, they will give a smoker a dose of nicotine in their blood. This reduces the nicotine withdrawal symptoms and cravings, whilst they break away from the psychological habit of smoking.
Our staff can advise you on the best way to kick your smoking habit. By coming in to our store our trained pharmacist will provide you with a free consultation, asking you questions such as how many cigarettes you smoke in a day and what triggers the need for a cigarette etc. By determining your ‘level of nicotine addiction’ the pharmacist will then be able to offer their advice on what they think would work best for you.
The pharmacist may even offer advice in other forms, for example, letting you know about any local support groups, advising you to take up a hobby or even suggesting a routine to start you off.
The benefit of having this support is that we are there 7 days a week whenever you need help, or even just a friendly professional to speak with. It is a proven fact that if you receive support while trying to stop smoking your chance for success is greatly increased.
Going abroad and need to know which vaccinations you require or need advice on precautions?
We provide travel consultations with experienced staff who will assess the impact of any pre-existing medical conditions on your vaccine requirements. Our competitive pricing and easily accessible location makes us your first choice for all your travel needs
Walk in for a free travel health consultation in our designated private consultation rooms today. We look forward to welcoming you and helping you with all your travel healthcare needs.
Altitude Sickness - the mildest form being acute mountain sickness (AMS), is the negative health effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. Symptoms may include headaches, vomiting, tiredness, trouble sleeping, and dizziness.
Cholera – Common in Africa, Central America and Asia, cholera is an infection spread by bacteria in contaminated food and water.
Diphtheria, Poliomyelitis and Tetanus - This diphtheria, polio and tetanus vaccine may also be recommended if you're travelling to an area of the world where there is a high risk of contracting these diseases, or poor access to medical care, and you haven't had a booster in the last ten years.
Hepatitis A – Contaminated faecal matter spreads hepatitis A, a disease often caught via infected food and water and common across in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America.
Hepatitis B – Unprotected sex is usually responsible for hepatitis A infection, along with sharing needles, visiting dirty tattoo parlours, unhygienic barbers shops and nail salons. It’s common in both undeveloped and developed countries.
Japanese Encephalitis – Spread by mosquitoes, there’s no cure for this disease found across South East Asia, Japan, and tropical regions of Australia. There are also occasional epidemics in China and India.
Malaria – A highly dangerous disease spread by infected mosquitoes, malaria is common in the equatorial tropics and subtropics.
Meningitis; ACWY Vaccination for Hajj or Umrah – A bacterial infection, this disease tends to be commonest in sub-Saharan Africa. But it’s also sometimes found where it’s crowded and where there’s imperfect hygiene, for example universities and army camps.
Rabies – Infected animal and human bites and scratches spread this awful disease, which is particularly common in Thailand, Brazil and India.
Tick-borne Encephalitis – A tick-borne virus found in eastern, northern and central Europe as well as eastern Russia, east Asia, China and Japan.
Typhoid – Bacteria are responsible for this infection and it’s found throughout the world, a risk wherever sanitation and hygiene are poor.
A urinary tract Infection (UTI) can occur in any part of your urinary system. Women are at greatest risk with symptoms including a burning feeling when you urinate, a frequent urge to urinate, even though little comes out when you do and pain in your back or lower abdomen. In addition your urine in often cloudy, dark, smelly and may have blood in it.
Our Pharmacy is registered to treat some Urinary Tract Infections without having to visit your GP. If you are a woman between 16 - 65 years old, have not had antibiotic treatment for a urinary tract infection in the last 28 days and have not had more than three previous urinary infections in the last year please speak to our Pharmacist. The Pharmacist will discuss your symptoms and whether you are eligible for treatment directly from the Pharmacy.
We provide a vaccination service and a range of vaccinations are available, please contact the pharmacy for further details.
We stock a popular range of vitamins and supplements aimed at nutrition, and women's and men's health.
We are here to help you make good choices. If you are struggling losing weight, please ask the pharmacist to help you beat the bulge.
The term obese describes a person who is very overweight. There are two ways of checking your weight status. Firstly, Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of whether you’re a healthy weight for your height. A BMI of > 25 means you are over-weight.
Another measure of excess fat is your waist circumference. Generally, men with a waist circumference of 94cm or more and women with a waist circumference of 80 cm or more are more likely to develop obesity related health problems. These include
Type 2 diabetes, Coronary heart disease, some types of cancer, such as breast cancer and bowel cancer and stroke. If you are worried about diabetes we can give you a diabetic test.
Obesity can also affect your quality of life and lead to psychological problems such as depression and low self-esteem. Please let us help you before your weight gets out of control.
We can offer weight management help. Pharmacists are ideally placed to help you manage your weight as they already provide many health services to customers, including stop smoking services, blood pressure and cholesterol measurements and general advice on nutrition and healthy living. Pharmacists also know when a weight problem can be managed in the pharmacy and when there is a medical problem that needs co-operation with the doctor.
Ask us for advice on how to get started.
omeprazole or lansoprazole to treat acid reflux without seeing your GP
acne treatment without seeing the GP
Realising you have a problem with alcohol is the first big step to getting help.
You may need help if:
Getting the right support can be crucial to maintaining control in the future. Only relying on family, friends or carers for this often is not enough.
Ask our Pharmacist about what longer term support is available in your area. Self-help or mutual aid groups (groups such as AA or SMART Recovery groups) are accessible in most areas.
An allergy is when your body reacts to a substance it has become sensitive to. For example, dust, food, pollen, medication etc. Allergens in food and other substances cause your body to have an immune reaction. Hay fever is one of the most common allergic conditions. In the UK alone, around 13 million people suffer from hay fever. Although it usually begins during childhood/teenage years, you can get it at any age.
The symptoms of hay fever occur when a person has had an allergic reaction to pollen. Some of the symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, itchy/watery eyes, wheezing, coughing etc. As much as we can try to avoid pollen, unfortunately, sometimes it is just not avoidable. Particularly in the summer when there is naturally more pollen around, and we tend to spend more time outside.
While there is currently no cure for hay fever, there is a way you can relieve the symptoms, at least to a certain extent. A range of antihistamines are available at our pharmacy to help you prevent an allergic reaction from happening. There are tablets, nasal sprays and even products to help soothe symptoms, for example, sprays for itchy eyes. We also offer Fexofenadine (Telfast) which is a prescription strength antihistamine for those that suffer greatly from hay fever. After a quick consult with our pharmacist, you can purchase this from our store to help soothe any symptoms.
Please come in store and speak to our pharmacists about your options to relive your symptoms.
We keep a carefully selected range of alternative, natural, homeopathic and herbal medicines and are always glad to advise on what’s best for you.
A pharmacist is another health expert you can turn to for asthma advice and support and you usually don't need an appointment. As well as your GP or asthma nurse, your local pharmacist is another highly trained healthcare professional who can answer questions about your asthma. If you have any concerns about your asthma, you can just walk into our pharmacy and ask to see the pharmacist.
This is useful because:
Ask the pharmacist how to get the best from your asthma medicines. You can ask your pharmacist about the asthma medicines you've been prescribed. This is useful if you have concerns about things like side effects, using your inhaler, or your inhaler not working properly.
You can also ask about any over-the-counter medicines you're taking to help your asthma, such as anti-histamines for hay fever.
Salbutamol Inhaler without a prescription or needing to see your GP
Whether its preparing for the arrival of your newborn, or you already are a parent you will find everything you need in our mother and baby ranges. We have everything from nappies and baby wipes to shampoo shields, baby food and baby clothes.
We know being a parent can be challenging at times, if you need any help or advice please speak to our pharmacist who can help.
Check your blood pressure
The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test.
All adults over 40 are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years. Getting this done is easy and could save your life.
You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including at our pharmacies. If you've not been diagnosed with high blood pressure and would like to get yours checked, contact or visit one of our branches.
If we find any potential signs of high blood pressure, we will refer you to your GP for further investigation and treatment if appropriate.
A simple blood test can help reduce your risk from some of the most serious conditions that typically show NO symptoms at all.
Blood screening is a medical process in which blood is scanned to test for a particular disease or condition. Although this procedure may be done for variety of reasons, the most common include Hepatitis screenings, pregnancy screenings, and screenings for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI). The use of a blood screenings may also be needed to check for things like Vitamin D levels and food intolerance.
It is known that food can cause many different types of reactions in the body. These may be evident in the skin (such as hives, rashes, itchiness, or swellings); the gut (such as reflux, vomiting, tummy pains, wind, diarrhoea, and constipation); when breathing (such as shortness of breath or a tight chest) or through generally feeling unwell. Some people put up with symptoms for years, which could get better if the foods causing these symptoms were cut out of the diet.
"Knowing what you're allergic to is key to managing your condition"
Finding out which foods are causing your symptoms can be straightforward for some people and incredibly tricky for others, dependent on what their symptoms are; how quickly the symptoms appear after eating a food; and which food (or foods) is causing a problem. We have partnered up with one of the largest independent providers of clinical laboratory diagnostic services in the UK. So that we provide our customers with the laboratory information required for diagnosis and treatment of medical disorders. Our blood screening service is painless, quick and carried out with the utmost discretion. The types of screenings offered at Bush Pharmacy are shown below, prices are heavily discounted with further discounts available on request. Please call us on 0208-7439254 or pop into the pharmacy for more information.
TESTS AVAILABLE
The Full STI test includes:
The Food Intolerance tests a complete intolerance profile including trees, weeds, grasses, moulds, animals as well as foods
Blood glucose tests, which can be conducted in our pharmacy through a simple blood test, measure the amount of glucose in your blood. Glucose is a simple sugar that provides energy for the body. The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach). When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy. However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This is because there's either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced doesn't work properly.
Although there are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight.
Body composition is a simple test that measures your body mass index, body fat, skeletal muscle percentages and waist circumference. A body composition test is one way to determine if your weight is healthy for your height since being overweight can strain your heart and lead to serious health problems.
A body composition test is recommended for everyone to for better insight into their health. Body composition testing is available at our Pharmacy for patients 18 and over.
We offer a wide range of the latest dental care products and accessories to help keep your gums and teeth in tip top condition. Please call or visit.
A member of our trained Pharmacy team will preform a HbA1c Diabetes Test. This test measures the recent average blood sugar (glucose) level. Because it is the average there is no need to fast and is more accurate than a simple blood glucose test. In order to preform the test a sample of blood will be taken from your thumb and is analysed in the Pharmacy. This normally takes 10 minutes to process. You will then be informed of the result and we can discuss any lifestyle changes required or refer you to your GP if necessary.
We provide the Discharge Medicines Service. The service has been established to help you understand your medicines and any changes when you leave hospital and to reduce incidences of avoidable harm caused by medicines.
No appointments needed, easily accessible location and just a quick consultation, we ensure a hassle free service to all our patients. Simply walk in and ask to speak to our friendly and professional pharmacist about the morning after pill.
Our pharmacist will need to see the person that the emergency contraception is intended for, and will need to ask a few questions regarding the patients’ medical history. This is done in the privacy of our consultation room and everything discussed is in complete confidence. The sooner you come to our pharmacy to take the morning after pill, the greater the chances of avoiding pregnancy.
If the Pharmacist feels like Levonelle One Step is not suitable for you, they will not give you the morning after pill, but advise you to see your health care professional.
We are one of the few pharmacies that are able to provide the morning after pill free of charge to patients who are aged 24 and under, and who meet the NHS criteria. Alternatively, the pill can be purchased privately from our pharmacy in Camden.
About Emergency Contraception (Levonelle One Step) -
When it comes to sex, even if you’ve taken precautions, sometimes things don’t quite go to plan. Accidents happen with contraception and things go wrong all the time. You may even just be worried that your contraceptive pill hasn’t worked. If you’ve had unprotected sex or you’re worried about contraception failure, here is some of the information you need to know about Levonelle One Step -
- Levonelle One Step is an emergency contraceptive that can be used within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex or if your contraceptive method has failed.
- There is one white tablet in the pack and it is most effective when taken within the first 12 hours
- The tablet contains a hormone called Levonorgestrel.
- Levonelle One Step is thought to work by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg or by preventing sperm from fertilising any egg that may have already been released
- If you are over 16 you can get Levonelle One Step over the counter at our Pharmacy
- If you are under 16 you cannot buy Levonelle One Step at the Pharmacy, you need to visit your GP or a Walk-In centre
- Levonelle One Step works to prevent a pregnancy becoming established, it does not work if you are already pregnant
- You should only use Levonelle One Step in emergencies, not as a regular form of contraception
Please note, there are other emergency contraceptive options available through your doctor or at a Walk-In centre.
If you do have any questions or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
No appointments needed, easily accessible location and just a quick consultation, we ensure a hassle free service to all our patients. Simply walk in and ask to speak to our friendly and professional pharmacist about the morning after pill.
Our pharmacist will need to see the person that the emergency contraception is intended for, and will need to ask a few questions regarding the patients’ medical history. This is done in the privacy of our consultation room and everything discussed is in complete confidence. The sooner you come to our pharmacy to take the morning after pill, the greater the chances of avoiding pregnancy.
If the Pharmacist feels like Levonelle One Step is not suitable for you, they will not give you the morning after pill, but advise you to see your health care professional.
We are one of the few pharmacies that are able to provide the morning after pill free of charge to patients who are aged 24 and under, and who meet the NHS criteria. Alternatively, the pill can be purchased privately from our pharmacy.
About Emergency Contraception (Levonelle One Step) -
When it comes to sex, even if you’ve taken precautions, sometimes things don’t quite go to plan. Accidents happen with contraception and things go wrong all the time. You may even just be worried that your contraceptive pill hasn’t worked. If you’ve had unprotected sex or you’re worried about contraception failure, here is some of the information you need to know about Levonelle One Step -
- Levonelle One Step is an emergency contraceptive that can be used within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex or if your contraceptive method has failed.
- There is one white tablet in the pack and it is most effective when taken within the first 12 hours
- The tablet contains a hormone called Levonorgestrel.
- Levonelle One Step is thought to work by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg or by preventing sperm from fertilising any egg that may have already been released
- If you are over 16 you can get Levonelle One Step over the counter at our Pharmacy
- If you are under 16 you cannot buy Levonelle One Step at the Pharmacy, you need to visit your GP or a Walk-In centre
- Levonelle One Step works to prevent a pregnancy becoming established, it does not work if you are already pregnant
- You should only use Levonelle One Step in emergencies, not as a regular form of contraception
Please note, there are other emergency contraceptive options available through your doctor or at a Walk-In centre.
If you do have any questions or require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
If you have had sex without using contraception, or you think your contraception has failed, you may be able to use Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC). Every consultation is private and confidential and will be in a private consultation room. Our fully trained and accredited Pharmacist will supply EHC when appropriate to clients in line with the requirements of a locally agreed Patient Group Direction (PGD).
The PGD will specify the age range of clients that are eligible for the service; it may facilitate supply to young persons under 16 in appropriate circumstances. We will also provide support and advice to clients accessing the service, including advice on the avoidance of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) through safer sex and condom use, advice on the use of regular contraceptive methods and provide onward signposting to services that provide long-term contraceptive methods and diagnosis and management of STI’s. * Only available if commissioned in accordance with a local agreement.
Erection problems (impotence) are very common, particularly in men over 40. It's usually nothing to worry about, but you should see a GP if it keeps happening.
Most men occasionally fail to get or keep an erection. Causes of erection problems can be stress, tiredness, anxiety or drinking too much alcohol, and it's nothing to worry about.
If it happens more often, it may be caused by physical or emotional problems.
Medicine such as sildenafil is often used by doctors to treat erectile dysfunction. It is also available from our pharmacy. You no longer need a prescription to get sildenafil. You can have a private consultation with our pharmacist to make sure it's safe for you to take it.
We can advise you on buying and using thermometers and testing kits for home use. These show when a womens fertility is at its highest. Full information on how to use these kits is freely available from the pharmacist.
Make life easier for yourself and let us order your prescription on your behalf. Simply let us know what repeat medicines you need, a few days before they run out and we will arrange to collect it from your Doctor's surgery.
Is hair loss causing you distress? Are you worried about what to do? Losing your hair can greatly affect your confidence and self-esteem. It is an issue that affects both men and women, with male pattern baldness being the most common form. Most men are affected by male pattern baldness as they get older, but unfortunately, some men do start to suffer much earlier in life. But for both men and women even signs of slight thinning can cause concerns.
Whether you are dealing with hair loss, or even if you just want to get a head start to help ensure your hair stays healthy for as long as possible, we offer a range of products for both men and women. From vitamins and supplements to foams and shampoos, we even have products to help conceal thinning hair.
One of the main hair loss treatments we also offer is Finasteride (Propecia). Men who suffer from male pattern baldness are sensitive to a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, which causes damage to hair follicles. Finasteride (Propecia) is a prescription strength treatment that reduces the level of this particular hormone, and in turn reverses any balding. If you think you could benefit from this treatment come in store today, and speak to our pharmacist for a quick consultation to see if the treatment is suitable for you. If it is, you should be able to take the medication away with you that day. Please note, the medication is chargeable and is for men only.
Always keep in mind that hair regrowth isn’t instant and takes time. Results may vary from person to person and in some cases products must be used continuously to maintain the effects. But the earlier you start helping to maintain normal healthy hair growth, the better.
If you are worried about hair loss then come in store today and speak to a pharmacist about your options. Our pharmacists are trained to make sure they have the right knowledge and skills in order to help you with any concerns you may have.
Impetigo is a skin condition which is used by a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus. Classic signs and symptoms of impetigo are red sores that rupture and then form a yellow-brown crust. The sores usually occur around the nose and mouth and can spread to other areas of the body by the fingers, clothing and towels.
Our Pharmacy is registered to prescribe for Impetigo. If you are an adult or have a child over 2 years with a minor impetigo the Pharmacist can examine the area and advise on the best treatment for your impetigo symptoms.
Every year many hundreds of travellers from the UK catch malaria and in tens of cases it is fatal. Symptoms can start rapidly. The correct anti-malarial medication is essential. We offer a Private Malaria Prevention Service. After a confidential assessment by a trained Pharmacist, the correct anti-malarial medication is supplied and appropriate advice given to the patient.
We provide a needle exchange service where intravenous drug users can obtain clean sterile needles and syringes and safely dispose of used needles and syringes.
This service is designed to prevent people sharing or re using needles. It also reduces drug related harm and the transmission of blood borne bacterial and viral infections such as hepatitis B and C or HIV.
The service is lead by our Pharmacist in a non-judgemental manner and may lead to the user being referred to an appropriate drug treatment programme i.e. opioid substitute treatment in order to stop drug usage . Our Pharmacist can also advise on minimising the harms caused by drugs and suggest further support and help.
When you are prescribed a new medicine by your doctor our pharmacists can offer support and advice to ensure you take the new medication as prescribed without suffering any unwanted side effects or explain any further questions you may have. We usually do this by keeping in contact with you during the first 4 weeks of your new medicine being prescribed.
The service is only available for people living in England, and only for those who have been prescribed a new medicine for the conditions listed:
The NMS can help:
We provide a palliative care service. Palliative care drugs can sometimes be required quickly and this service ensures that there is appropriate access to a range of palliative care drugs, particularly outside of normal opening hours, and when treatment is needed urgently.
Many of the drugs used in palliative care are not usually used for other conditions and are often not stocked in community pharmacies. As a palliative care service provider we hold a stock of palliative care drugs for when needed right away. The service is suitable for patients receiving palliative care and those providing their care.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medication or you know of someone that finds it hard to remember, we can package medicines in our weekly medication pill strips. We can also offer this service free of charge. Please visit our PillPacPlus page or call us today for more information and we would be happy to explain the service.
Our Respiratory Clinic is for patients who suffer from Asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. The symptoms of asthma are variable and include episodes of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
COPD describes a progressive lung disease such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The disease is characterised by increasing breathlessness, persistent cough with phlegm, frequent chest infections and persistent wheezing.
During the clinic you will be given a full respiratory medication review by one of our Pharmacist Independent Prescribers in order to optimise your inhaled medication. They will concentrate on your symptoms, examine your PEFR and Oxygen saturation levels and go over the recommended inhaler technique to gain the best outcome from your inhaled medications. Please contact the pharmacy if you think this could benefit you.
Antibiotic tonsillitis treatment without a prescription or seeing your GP
The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats we have ever faced, killing more than 8 million people a year around the world. According to the NHS, in the UK alone, smoking kills over 80,000 people every year and a further 500,000 people are admitted into hospital as a direct result of smoking.
Smoking has been linked to countless conditions from depression, infertility and asthma, to the more serious conditions such as lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease. It’s really not surprising that this is the case when you consider how many harmful substances there are in a cigarette. They have thousands of different chemicals, some of which are carcinogenic (cancer causing), and examples of others being acetone (used as nail polish remover), lead and cadmium (a highly toxic metal.)
The truth of the matter is, we all know how bad smoking is for our health, and a majority of smokers will say that they want to quit but giving up can be hard. Especially without the right help and support. That’s where our friendly and professional staff come in!
There is now more support than ever before, not just in the form of information, but also products designed to reduce cravings and to fight off any of the horrible withdrawal symptoms. One of the developments has been the introduction of Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT.) There are a variety of NRT products available:
Smoking is addictive because of the nicotine in cigarettes. That is why it is hard to quit. By starting one or even a combination of the above therapies, they will give a smoker a dose of nicotine in their blood. This reduces the nicotine withdrawal symptoms and cravings, whilst they break away from the psychological habit of smoking.
Our staff can advise you on the best way to kick your smoking habit. By coming in to our store our trained pharmacist will provide you with a free consultation, asking you questions such as how many cigarettes you smoke in a day and what triggers the need for a cigarette etc. By determining your ‘level of nicotine addiction’ the pharmacist will then be able to offer their advice on what they think would work best for you.
The pharmacist may even offer advice in other forms, for example, letting you know about any local support groups, advising you to take up a hobby or even suggesting a routine to start you off.
The benefit of having this support is that we are there 7 days a week whenever you need help, or even just a friendly professional to speak with. It is a proven fact that if you receive support while trying to stop smoking your chance for success is greatly increased.
Going abroad and need to know which vaccinations you require or need advice on precautions?
We provide travel consultations with experienced staff who will assess the impact of any pre-existing medical conditions on your vaccine requirements. Our competitive pricing and easily accessible location makes us your first choice for all your travel needs
Walk in for a free travel health consultation in our designated private consultation rooms today. We look forward to welcoming you and helping you with all your travel healthcare needs.
Altitude Sickness - the mildest form being acute mountain sickness (AMS), is the negative health effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. Symptoms may include headaches, vomiting, tiredness, trouble sleeping, and dizziness.
Cholera – Common in Africa, Central America and Asia, cholera is an infection spread by bacteria in contaminated food and water.
Diphtheria, Poliomyelitis and Tetanus - This diphtheria, polio and tetanus vaccine may also be recommended if you're travelling to an area of the world where there is a high risk of contracting these diseases, or poor access to medical care, and you haven't had a booster in the last ten years.
Hepatitis A – Contaminated faecal matter spreads hepatitis A, a disease often caught via infected food and water and common across in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America.
Hepatitis B – Unprotected sex is usually responsible for hepatitis A infection, along with sharing needles, visiting dirty tattoo parlours, unhygienic barbers shops and nail salons. It’s common in both undeveloped and developed countries.
Japanese Encephalitis – Spread by mosquitoes, there’s no cure for this disease found across South East Asia, Japan, and tropical regions of Australia. There are also occasional epidemics in China and India.
Malaria – A highly dangerous disease spread by infected mosquitoes, malaria is common in the equatorial tropics and subtropics.
Meningitis; ACWY Vaccination for Hajj or Umrah – A bacterial infection, this disease tends to be commonest in sub-Saharan Africa. But it’s also sometimes found where it’s crowded and where there’s imperfect hygiene, for example universities and army camps.
Rabies – Infected animal and human bites and scratches spread this awful disease, which is particularly common in Thailand, Brazil and India.
Tick-borne Encephalitis – A tick-borne virus found in eastern, northern and central Europe as well as eastern Russia, east Asia, China and Japan.
Typhoid – Bacteria are responsible for this infection and it’s found throughout the world, a risk wherever sanitation and hygiene are poor.
A urinary tract Infection (UTI) can occur in any part of your urinary system. Women are at greatest risk with symptoms including a burning feeling when you urinate, a frequent urge to urinate, even though little comes out when you do and pain in your back or lower abdomen. In addition your urine in often cloudy, dark, smelly and may have blood in it.
Our Pharmacy is registered to treat some Urinary Tract Infections without having to visit your GP. If you are a woman between 16 - 65 years old, have not had antibiotic treatment for a urinary tract infection in the last 28 days and have not had more than three previous urinary infections in the last year please speak to our Pharmacist. The Pharmacist will discuss your symptoms and whether you are eligible for treatment directly from the Pharmacy.
We provide a vaccination service and a range of vaccinations are available, please contact the pharmacy for further details.
We stock a popular range of vitamins and supplements aimed at nutrition, and women's and men's health.
We are here to help you make good choices. If you are struggling losing weight, please ask the pharmacist to help you beat the bulge.
The term obese describes a person who is very overweight. There are two ways of checking your weight status. Firstly, Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of whether you’re a healthy weight for your height. A BMI of > 25 means you are over-weight.
Another measure of excess fat is your waist circumference. Generally, men with a waist circumference of 94cm or more and women with a waist circumference of 80 cm or more are more likely to develop obesity related health problems. These include
Type 2 diabetes, Coronary heart disease, some types of cancer, such as breast cancer and bowel cancer and stroke. If you are worried about diabetes we can give you a diabetic test.
Obesity can also affect your quality of life and lead to psychological problems such as depression and low self-esteem. Please let us help you before your weight gets out of control.
We can offer weight management help. Pharmacists are ideally placed to help you manage your weight as they already provide many health services to customers, including stop smoking services, blood pressure and cholesterol measurements and general advice on nutrition and healthy living. Pharmacists also know when a weight problem can be managed in the pharmacy and when there is a medical problem that needs co-operation with the doctor.
Ask us for advice on how to get started.