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.
People with high cholesterol do not know because there are no symptoms. However, high cholesterol causes something major (like stroke or heart attack) to happen. Therefore, it is important to measure your cholesterol to avoid any major health problem. Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid and is vital for the normal functioning of the body. Your body cells need it. However, having an excessively high level of lipids in your blood (hyperlipidemia) can have an effect on your health and wellbeing. Lipid fat is mainly made by the liver but can also be found in some foods we eat. Cholesterol is carried in your blood by proteins, and when the two combine they are called lipoproteins.
There are harmful and protective lipoproteins known as LDL and HDL, or bad and good cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): LDL carries cholesterol from your liver to the cells that need it. If there is too much cholesterol for the cells to use, it can build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL cholesterol is known as "bad cholesterol". High-density lipoprotein (HDL): HDL carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is either broken down or passed out of the body as a waste product. For this reason, it is referred to as "good cholesterol" and higher levels are better. At The Leys Pharmacy, we conduct Cholesterol Test at a small fee. The test is done usually after fasting for about 10 hours (come for the test before your breakfast and after you have avoided consuming anything after dinner).
The test involves taking a small blood sample from you. This is placed into a cholesterol analyser, which give the result after about 2 minutes.
The LDL-Cholesterol level should be below 2.0mmol/l Total Cholesterol (TC), is a measure of the total amount of cholesterol in your blood at a given time. Your level should 5.2 mmol/L or less. Neither the TC nor HDL tests require you to fast. High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), is the so-called "good" cholesterol as it helps to clear excess lipids from the arteries. The higher this number is, the better. An HDL of 1.2 mmol/L or more is beneficial and considered a negative risk factor. HDL should be measured whenever your cardiac risk is being assessed. TC/HDL Ratio, is a comparison of total cholesterol to your HDL cholesterol. A ratio of 4.5 or less is desirable. The lower the ratio, the less risk you have of developing heart disease. Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), is the “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to the build up of fat deposits in arterial walls. About 65% of the cholesterol in your blood is in the form of LDL.
A fasting LDL level of less than 3.3 mmol/L is desirable. Triglycerides (TG), are composed of fatty acids and glycerol. Like cholesterol, they circulate in your blood but are stored in body fat. When you eat a meal, your triglyceride (and glucose) levels increase significantly. Gradually, if you body processes the fat efficiently, the level of triglycerides will decrease. Your fasting triglycerides should be below 2.8mmol/L. Your HDL and LDL levels can be changed by exercise and diet. When altering your diet it is important to increase consumption of food products high in fibre (grains, fruit, vegetables, beans) and to lower consumption of food products that are high in saturated fat (butter and other dairy products like cream; red meat, some nuts and egg yolks). This process can actually be checked by periodic monitoring of your cholesterol.
Click here to locate your local Pharmacy .
Contraception services are free and confidential, including for people under the age of 16.
If you're under 16 and want contraception, this is a confidential service and we will not inform your parents (or carer) as long as we believe you fully understand the information you're given, and your decisions.
*Only available to under 25's. Conditions apply. Please contact us for further information.
At The Leys Pharmacy, our pharmacists are always at hand to deliver a direct service to customer including a chat while handing out prescriptions to the customer. If you want some privacy, we have a Consultation Room which will be made available for you immediately. Just ask. Further, our Patient Medical Records (PMR) System is industry standard with appropriate approved under the data protection act and updated daily. All possible medication interactions will be detected and interpreted professionally by our dedicated staff. Usually, our targeted waiting time is always under 10 minutes. If the pharmacy is busy, we guarantee you will not need to wait longer than 20 mins. If we receive your prescription before mid-day and we do not have your medication in stock, we will order the medication so it will be ready in the late afternoon for you.
Click here to locate your local Pharmacy .
The NHS is introducing an Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), which every GP surgery and community pharmacy will have access to. All systems within the surgeries and pharmacies are being streamlined to work together so that most prescriptions can be sent electronically to the patients’ nominated pharmacy, which will in turn dispense the prescription without any paper being printed. However, you will still have the option of your paper prescription, if you so wish. Some of the benefits of the EPS include savings in time and energy spent on requesting, issuing and collecting (by the Surgery, patient or the pharmacy); accuracy improvement and avoidance of error as GPs and Pharmacist will not need to type prescriptions; prescriptions will be complete with full details of the medicines being prescribed, thus speeding up the dispensing process; and finally pharmacies will be able to dispense the medicine in advance of the patient arriving to collect it. How the EPS works You will be able to nominate your choice pharmacy, which you will use regularly for this service and the pharmacy will be able to receive your prescriptions electronically by downloading it from the secure central server which only accredited NHS/Surgery/Pharmacy staffs can access with their authorised smart cards. You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time you so desire. If you do not wish to nominate a pharmacy, you will be issued with a barcoded slip (encoding a copy of your prescription) at the surgery. You can take this to any pharmacy which will be able to scan this barcode and download the electronic prescription on their dispensing computers.
Click here to locate your local Pharmacy .
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.
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.
The UK has over one million people who have diabetes but are unaware of it. There are about 2.35 million diabetics in the UK. Many people are in the high risk of developing this condition. Diabetes is a condition which develop because of a high blood glucose (sugar) level in the blood. This is a chronic condition. High sugar makes the blood thick. The thickness can lead to damage to the small blood vessels (microvascular) of such organs like the eyes, kidneys, feet, fingers and even the nerves; as well as to larger blood vessels (macrovascular) of the heart or peripheral vascular system. The blood glucose level which is normal for the human body is about 5 mmol optimum most of the time. When we eat anything containing sugars or carbohydrates, our blood glucose may rise to 8 mmol, which is higher than normal, our pancreas will release some insulin, which either stores the glucose in the liver or converts them to energy.
The pancreas uses insulin to regulates blood glucose levels to a narrow range (4 to 5 mmol). In diabetes people the pancreas is either not producing insulin or releasing it at all, or not enough is produced or released, or the insulin released does not work anymore (insulin resistance). Therefore, the diabetes person continues to have high glucose level in the blood. There are Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes, depending on the severity of the condition. Over 90% of diabetics are type 2. Both types lead to high blood glucose which results in organ damage. Although diabetes cannot be cured, it can be well managed with medication, lifestyle choice, exercising, weight-loss, etc. Diabetes is inheritable, so if there is a history in the family, you have to be very careful. Additionally, the following group of people are also vulnerable to developing diabetes:
Click here to locate your local Pharmacy .
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.
This is an opportunity for our pharmacist to discuss and review the medicines you are taking to ensure you are using them correctly and getting the maximum benefit. We will explain clearly and simply, without any medical jargon, what they are for and the conditions they treat and identify any possible side effects that you may be experiencing. We will listen to you and any problems you are having with your medicines, provide advice and support and if necessary contact your Doctor to discuss any issues that arise from our conversation.
An MUR can help:
Our pharmacist may be able to conduct an MUR over the telephone or for eligible patient
Are you or someone you care for having trouble remembering to take all the medicines at the correct time or sorting out all the medicines? We can dispense your medicines into easy-to-use weekly dosset-boxes. Many of our patients are finding this solution very effective. We will collaborate with your doctor to pick-up your prescriptions and dispense your medicines into daily reminders for Morning, Midday, Evening and Night time doses. This is a good system and can be.
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It is important that you take the right dose of your prescribed medicines at the right time each day to get the most from your medicines to control your condition(s) as much as possible. This can sometimes be difficult if you take more than one medicine. One way in which this can be made easier is for your medicines to be supplied in a Monitored Dosage System, which provides you with a separate compartment for each dosage time of the day.
A monitored dosage system (MDS) is a medication storage device designed to simplify the administration of solid oral dose medication, especially for those on multiple medications. It aims to address the issues of difficulty accessing medication due to sight impairment or other disability and/or forgetfulness.
MDS devices are usually a variation on the design of a box or a blister pack, divided into days of the week with several compartments per day to allow for the different timing of doses such as breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime.
Our Pharmacist can help identify which patients this type of system would be suitable for.
MDS may be suitable for patients in the following circumstances:
Ask a member of our pharmacy team about whether this service would benefit you or whether there is another course of action, which may be of more help.
You can have a free NHS flu Jab at our pharmacy:
• If you are 65 years of age or over before 31 March 2026
• If you are pregnant
• If you are a carer
If you have certain medical conditions including:
• Asthma
• Chronic Respiratory Disease
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Kidney Disease
• Liver Disease
• Neurological Disease
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:
Instead of repeated visits to your GP/Surgery to request your repeat prescriptions, our Repeat Dispensing (if you sign up for our Free Repeat Prescription Service) enables us to request your prescription from your surgery (of course only through your permission) using "multi-copy" or batch prescriptions before your current medicines run out. We manage the timing. We confirm with you. We request for your prescription on your behalf. We get it dispensed. We will text you that your prescription is ready for pick up or we deliver if you sign up for our free delivery service. This service is ideally suitable for any patient who is on long time use of any medicine.
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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.
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.
People with high cholesterol do not know because there are no symptoms. However, high cholesterol causes something major (like stroke or heart attack) to happen. Therefore, it is important to measure your cholesterol to avoid any major health problem. Cholesterol is a fatty substance known as a lipid and is vital for the normal functioning of the body. Your body cells need it. However, having an excessively high level of lipids in your blood (hyperlipidemia) can have an effect on your health and wellbeing. Lipid fat is mainly made by the liver but can also be found in some foods we eat. Cholesterol is carried in your blood by proteins, and when the two combine they are called lipoproteins.
There are harmful and protective lipoproteins known as LDL and HDL, or bad and good cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): LDL carries cholesterol from your liver to the cells that need it. If there is too much cholesterol for the cells to use, it can build up in the artery walls, leading to disease of the arteries. For this reason, LDL cholesterol is known as "bad cholesterol". High-density lipoprotein (HDL): HDL carries cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is either broken down or passed out of the body as a waste product. For this reason, it is referred to as "good cholesterol" and higher levels are better. At The Leys Pharmacy, we conduct Cholesterol Test at a small fee. The test is done usually after fasting for about 10 hours (come for the test before your breakfast and after you have avoided consuming anything after dinner).
The test involves taking a small blood sample from you. This is placed into a cholesterol analyser, which give the result after about 2 minutes.
The LDL-Cholesterol level should be below 2.0mmol/l Total Cholesterol (TC), is a measure of the total amount of cholesterol in your blood at a given time. Your level should 5.2 mmol/L or less. Neither the TC nor HDL tests require you to fast. High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), is the so-called "good" cholesterol as it helps to clear excess lipids from the arteries. The higher this number is, the better. An HDL of 1.2 mmol/L or more is beneficial and considered a negative risk factor. HDL should be measured whenever your cardiac risk is being assessed. TC/HDL Ratio, is a comparison of total cholesterol to your HDL cholesterol. A ratio of 4.5 or less is desirable. The lower the ratio, the less risk you have of developing heart disease. Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), is the “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to the build up of fat deposits in arterial walls. About 65% of the cholesterol in your blood is in the form of LDL.
A fasting LDL level of less than 3.3 mmol/L is desirable. Triglycerides (TG), are composed of fatty acids and glycerol. Like cholesterol, they circulate in your blood but are stored in body fat. When you eat a meal, your triglyceride (and glucose) levels increase significantly. Gradually, if you body processes the fat efficiently, the level of triglycerides will decrease. Your fasting triglycerides should be below 2.8mmol/L. Your HDL and LDL levels can be changed by exercise and diet. When altering your diet it is important to increase consumption of food products high in fibre (grains, fruit, vegetables, beans) and to lower consumption of food products that are high in saturated fat (butter and other dairy products like cream; red meat, some nuts and egg yolks). This process can actually be checked by periodic monitoring of your cholesterol.
Click here to locate your local Pharmacy .
Contraception services are free and confidential, including for people under the age of 16.
If you're under 16 and want contraception, this is a confidential service and we will not inform your parents (or carer) as long as we believe you fully understand the information you're given, and your decisions.
*Only available to under 25's. Conditions apply. Please contact us for further information.
At The Leys Pharmacy, our pharmacists are always at hand to deliver a direct service to customer including a chat while handing out prescriptions to the customer. If you want some privacy, we have a Consultation Room which will be made available for you immediately. Just ask. Further, our Patient Medical Records (PMR) System is industry standard with appropriate approved under the data protection act and updated daily. All possible medication interactions will be detected and interpreted professionally by our dedicated staff. Usually, our targeted waiting time is always under 10 minutes. If the pharmacy is busy, we guarantee you will not need to wait longer than 20 mins. If we receive your prescription before mid-day and we do not have your medication in stock, we will order the medication so it will be ready in the late afternoon for you.
Click here to locate your local Pharmacy .
The NHS is introducing an Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), which every GP surgery and community pharmacy will have access to. All systems within the surgeries and pharmacies are being streamlined to work together so that most prescriptions can be sent electronically to the patients’ nominated pharmacy, which will in turn dispense the prescription without any paper being printed. However, you will still have the option of your paper prescription, if you so wish. Some of the benefits of the EPS include savings in time and energy spent on requesting, issuing and collecting (by the Surgery, patient or the pharmacy); accuracy improvement and avoidance of error as GPs and Pharmacist will not need to type prescriptions; prescriptions will be complete with full details of the medicines being prescribed, thus speeding up the dispensing process; and finally pharmacies will be able to dispense the medicine in advance of the patient arriving to collect it. How the EPS works You will be able to nominate your choice pharmacy, which you will use regularly for this service and the pharmacy will be able to receive your prescriptions electronically by downloading it from the secure central server which only accredited NHS/Surgery/Pharmacy staffs can access with their authorised smart cards. You can change your nominated pharmacy at any time you so desire. If you do not wish to nominate a pharmacy, you will be issued with a barcoded slip (encoding a copy of your prescription) at the surgery. You can take this to any pharmacy which will be able to scan this barcode and download the electronic prescription on their dispensing computers.
Click here to locate your local Pharmacy .
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.
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.
The UK has over one million people who have diabetes but are unaware of it. There are about 2.35 million diabetics in the UK. Many people are in the high risk of developing this condition. Diabetes is a condition which develop because of a high blood glucose (sugar) level in the blood. This is a chronic condition. High sugar makes the blood thick. The thickness can lead to damage to the small blood vessels (microvascular) of such organs like the eyes, kidneys, feet, fingers and even the nerves; as well as to larger blood vessels (macrovascular) of the heart or peripheral vascular system. The blood glucose level which is normal for the human body is about 5 mmol optimum most of the time. When we eat anything containing sugars or carbohydrates, our blood glucose may rise to 8 mmol, which is higher than normal, our pancreas will release some insulin, which either stores the glucose in the liver or converts them to energy.
The pancreas uses insulin to regulates blood glucose levels to a narrow range (4 to 5 mmol). In diabetes people the pancreas is either not producing insulin or releasing it at all, or not enough is produced or released, or the insulin released does not work anymore (insulin resistance). Therefore, the diabetes person continues to have high glucose level in the blood. There are Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes, depending on the severity of the condition. Over 90% of diabetics are type 2. Both types lead to high blood glucose which results in organ damage. Although diabetes cannot be cured, it can be well managed with medication, lifestyle choice, exercising, weight-loss, etc. Diabetes is inheritable, so if there is a history in the family, you have to be very careful. Additionally, the following group of people are also vulnerable to developing diabetes:
Click here to locate your local Pharmacy .
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.
This is an opportunity for our pharmacist to discuss and review the medicines you are taking to ensure you are using them correctly and getting the maximum benefit. We will explain clearly and simply, without any medical jargon, what they are for and the conditions they treat and identify any possible side effects that you may be experiencing. We will listen to you and any problems you are having with your medicines, provide advice and support and if necessary contact your Doctor to discuss any issues that arise from our conversation.
An MUR can help:
Our pharmacist may be able to conduct an MUR over the telephone or for eligible patient
Are you or someone you care for having trouble remembering to take all the medicines at the correct time or sorting out all the medicines? We can dispense your medicines into easy-to-use weekly dosset-boxes. Many of our patients are finding this solution very effective. We will collaborate with your doctor to pick-up your prescriptions and dispense your medicines into daily reminders for Morning, Midday, Evening and Night time doses. This is a good system and can be.
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It is important that you take the right dose of your prescribed medicines at the right time each day to get the most from your medicines to control your condition(s) as much as possible. This can sometimes be difficult if you take more than one medicine. One way in which this can be made easier is for your medicines to be supplied in a Monitored Dosage System, which provides you with a separate compartment for each dosage time of the day.
A monitored dosage system (MDS) is a medication storage device designed to simplify the administration of solid oral dose medication, especially for those on multiple medications. It aims to address the issues of difficulty accessing medication due to sight impairment or other disability and/or forgetfulness.
MDS devices are usually a variation on the design of a box or a blister pack, divided into days of the week with several compartments per day to allow for the different timing of doses such as breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime.
Our Pharmacist can help identify which patients this type of system would be suitable for.
MDS may be suitable for patients in the following circumstances:
Ask a member of our pharmacy team about whether this service would benefit you or whether there is another course of action, which may be of more help.
You can have a free NHS flu Jab at our pharmacy:
• If you are 65 years of age or over before 31 March 2026
• If you are pregnant
• If you are a carer
If you have certain medical conditions including:
• Asthma
• Chronic Respiratory Disease
• Heart Disease
• Diabetes
• Kidney Disease
• Liver Disease
• Neurological Disease
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:
Instead of repeated visits to your GP/Surgery to request your repeat prescriptions, our Repeat Dispensing (if you sign up for our Free Repeat Prescription Service) enables us to request your prescription from your surgery (of course only through your permission) using "multi-copy" or batch prescriptions before your current medicines run out. We manage the timing. We confirm with you. We request for your prescription on your behalf. We get it dispensed. We will text you that your prescription is ready for pick up or we deliver if you sign up for our free delivery service. This service is ideally suitable for any patient who is on long time use of any medicine.
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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.
Get Your Flu Jab with The Leys Pharmacy
Let us know if you would like to get your flu vaccination with us and we will organise your booking. Free on the NHS for anyone over 65 (before 31.03.2025) and for people who are pregnant or have certain medical conditions.
Request Your Flu Jab