October 10, 2014 10.46 am This story is over 113 months old

Lincoln pharmacy gets £70k ‘healthy hub’ transformation

Healthy living advice: St Catherine’s pharmacy in Lincoln has been given a £70,000 makeover to transform it into a healthy living hub.
St Catherine's Pharmacy in Lincoln has had a £70,000 makeover.

St Catherine’s pharmacy in Lincoln has been given a £70,000 makeover to transform it into a healthy living and advice hub.

The Lincolnshire Co-op pharmacy, on Newark Road, has adopted a bigger open-plan dispensary, as well as allowing more room behind the counter.

The refurbishments will allow for better communication between patients and pharmacists.

Existing private consultation rooms have been supplemented with a leaflet display featuring advice on balanced diets, weight management and healthy lifestyles.

Private consultation facilities enable a wide range of important services to be provided, including invaluable health checks.

St Catherine’s Pharmacy offers free tests for blood pressure, body mass index and lung age.

It also has specially trained advisors who work as part of the Phoenix Smoking Cessation Service who can provide personalised support and advice on a number of nicotine replacement therapies.

Additionally, people can ask the pharmacist for a medicine use review, where customers taking regular repeat medication are able to make sure that they are taking their prescriptions correctly.

Pharmacist Malgorzata Czerniak said: “It just looks fresher and more welcoming, it’s a nicer atmosphere for our customers and it’s a pleasure to work here.”

Lincolnshire Co-op’s Head of Pharmacy, Alastair Farquhar, said: “The Healthy Living concept gives our pharmacists and pharmacy advisors a better environment in which to provide the wealth of information and services we offer to patients.

“Offering clinical services like blood pressure and lung-age tests helps us to identify future problems and address concerns early.

“The healthy living advice that our staff can give, such as guidance on giving up smoking, weight management and sexual health also improve the services we’re able to offer the community.”