Pharmacist Melissa @melsmedicines Twitter profile | Pikagi

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Pharmacist Melissa

@melsmedicines

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👩🏻‍🔬PCN/Community Pharmacist 📺Media Pharmacist ✍🏼Medical writer & blogger @melsmedicines

London, England

https://t.co/LVzkWVVjoU

Joined February 2021

Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

I'm seeing lots of first doses in the vaccine centre lately. I always make sure to say thank you to them, they often seem nervous that they’ll be in trouble or judged for their delay. I can’t stress this enough: I'm grateful to every single person who walks through the door. 🙏

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Pharmacists (along with many other health workers) really haven’t got the recognition they deserve in this pandemic. A pharmacist friend of mine called herself an ‘invisible’ expert. Let’s have a moment for pharmacists, dispensers, technicians, drivers, cleaners + teams.✨

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

@nas_vascular Pharmacists let’s go! 1. Morale 2. ? 3. Work load pressures 4. Pay 5. Equal opportunities

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

To anyone calling locum pharmacists “greedy” for being paid their worth: Pharmacists (or any health professional in fact) should not have to bear the costs of an inadequately funded service.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Dear media: Pharmacists ARE more than qualified enough to carry out clinical services such as supplying antibiotics (if clinically needed!) It takes us 5 years to qualify. Pharmacy students will even graduate with a prescribing qualification soon. Stop undermining us.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

If you’ve ever wondered what a pharmacist actually does, this articulates it beautifully. ✨

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Yesterday I spent 20 minutes discussing sleep hygiene measures and managed to successfully wean a patient off zopiclone who had been taking it for the last 20 years. #Pharmacist #TeamGP

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

If you’re happy to wait two working days to get a prescription signed from your doctor, you can wait 10 minutes to get your prescription dispensed, checked, bagged, and handed out from a pharmacy.

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Apparently pharmacists are the new “doctors”. Pharmacists are highly qualified health professionals (5 years later and this still needs to be said!) and, dare I say it…we want to be…pharmacists.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Pharmacy companies: let’s keep staff levels as low as physically possible. Also pharmacy companies: why is your feedback and customer service so poor?

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

11 months

If you want pharmacists to do more, pay them more. Period.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

This may shock some people but Your prescription takes time to make up. That is all.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

A message to pharmacy students: no, your grades don’t matter.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

For anyone who complains at the 10 minute wait at the pharmacy: 237 million medication errors are made every year in England alone. [Source: BMJ]

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Last day of being a community pharmacist today. So excited to be joining the NHS as a clinical PCN pharmacist and to start my prescribing qualifications. Don’t be afraid to change direction when you need to ✨

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

The pharmaceutical journal released a new article suggesting that pharmacists are the new “doctors” & pharmacy techs are the new pharmacists. Of course pharmacists are HIGHLY qualified competent professionals and we are becoming increasingly more involved with prescribing

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

For the record: 1. There is no shortage of pharmacists 2. Plenty of pharmacists available to work at safe pharmacies 3. Majority of pharmacies are currently massively understaffed 4. More pharmacists are leaving community as they burn out 5. “Resilience” is not the solution

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Just got off a call from a pharmacist, who had recognised symptoms of a heart attack in a patient who walked into the pharmacy. Calls 999. 4 hour wait for an ambulance. @sajidjavid what part of this system is sustainable?

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Pharmacist Melissa

5 months

After 3 years of battling infertility, IVF, OHSS and loss - I took a break between cycles of IVF and went back to study. Next thing, I fell pregnant spontaneously with our miracle baby. I hope my story gives someone who’s battling through the cruelty of infertility some hope.🙏🏼

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

My first complaint was because I refused OTC co-codamol in someone who was overusing it in dental pain (huge lack of evidence for this indication to begin with). I had a meeting with my boss as to why I did what I did. We need to empower pharmacists to make hard decisions.

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

@edsheeran was magical. 💚💙💜💗💛🧡🤍

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Best response to anyone saying pharmacists supplying antibiotics will increase resistance. 👏 Also, as someone who has carried out antibiotic audits every month for the last 6 months (and reduced our broad spec abx prescribing by 2%), one major learning point was making sure all

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Just because a medicine is available over the counter doesn’t automatically mean it’s ‘safe’. Paracetamol is the most common drug in overdose. Requesting cannestan could mean your diabetes is uncontrolled. Long term steroids can cause withdrawal. Omeprazole can mask cancer.

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Pharmacist Melissa

11 months

People getting frustrated at pharmacists prescribing antibiotics, while in the same breath, have zero concept on who runs the antimicrobial stewardship programmes in the majority of healthcare settings. Read that again.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

“I see a lot of vaccinated people getting covid so what is the point?” The point is these people aren’t in hospital. That is the point.

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Dear patients, If you no longer need your medicines - please tell your pharmacy or your GP ✨in advance✨ Every month we waste money, time, energy, and resources putting unwanted medicines back on the shelf - many of which eventually expire. Sincerely, Every pharmacist

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Things that pharmacy teams are struggling with: Lateral flow tests Things pharmacy teams are also struggling with: Workload, covid pressures, prescription volumes, multitasking, safe staffing, abuse, mental well-being, burn out.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but collagen in skin care products won’t increase collagen in the skin because the collagen molecules are too big to penetrate the skin. Pass it on. 😌

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 months

Passed my Independent Prescribing qualification with a distinction from @KingsCollegeLon while being pregnant all the way through. Women are incredible! 💪🎉

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

I honestly don’t know how much of me I have left to keep fighting for community pharmacy. It’s exhausting.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Huge thanks to Yasmine the pharmacist in Boots Regent Street, who even though she is alone (completely alone) she is still making the time to get my inhaler sorted. While helping 5 others in the queue. All alone. Pharmacists are AMAZING ❤️❤️❤️

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

What goes on inside a pharmacist’s head?💭

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

What people think pharmacists should do: hand out drugs willy nilly What pharmacists doing their job properly actually do: checks, make interventions and changes until they are sure all the medication are safe together and for you. Often without you even realising.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Reminder that your mental health is more important than your pharmacy scorecard 💛

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

“Pharmacists can help you with minor illnesses” It would be more accurate to say pharmacists help you with your health & medication as well as preventing drug related errors. There is nothing minor about what a pharmacist does.👌

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Pharmacist Melissa

4 months

This needs to be repeated time and time again: Pharmacists don’t “just hand out” whatever the doctor issued. Thorough checks and balances are in place for a reason, and if you’re ever unsure of the reason - do me a favour and google Harold Shipman. The pharmacist flagged it.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Pharmacist burnout never quite seems to make the headlines though 🙃

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

4 things pharmacists should not feel guilty for 👀🥰

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

It’s official, I’m going back to university to study - starting next week!! 🥰

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

4 years

What people think Pharmacists do: count pills. What Pharmacists actually do: provide expert medical advice without an appointment, supervise OTC sales, order repeats, train colleagues, vaccines, deal with complaints, paperwork, pick up potentially serious drug errors daily.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Some more advice for future pharmacists 💛

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Is there a pharmacist shortage or are you just underpaying your team? #foodforthought

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Dear @TheGPhC Seeing as our lives, health & wellbeing as pharmacy professionals are evidently not as important as refusing sales, could you possibly release some guidance on what we “should” do in the event of being faced with weapons? I’d love to know.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Wondering when pharmacists will get to know their worth & no longer settle with being underpaid for far too long. There are SO many opportunities for you 😌

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Pharmacists check your prescriptions won’t kill you (ie. are safe). It takes time & huge skill to do this. 🎉

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Sharing what I learned today at work as a pharmacist👇🏼

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Dimming someone else’s light won’t make yours shine any brighter. 🙃✨

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Reviewed 20 patients this morning and 50 Rxs in the afternoon. When I finished I go and ask my colleagues what else needs doing to which they reply with: “just relax 🥲 you’re not in community pharmacy anymore, take it easy.” So grateful for supportive colleagues!

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Would help pharmacy teams and pharmacists working in community and GP if we all had access to stockleys & newt, enable us to do our jobs safely 💫

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

@GingerElvis @nas_vascular 4 times a day* every 4-6hrs, and no more than 8 in 24 hours. 😅

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Pharmacists, you are worth so much more than you think. If it wasn’t for my page and speaking with you guys, I wouldn’t know my own worth. Forever grateful. 🙌🏼✨

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

@kremmerpeter @AlinejadMasih 1. Stop doing business with their murderers by means of nuclear deal 2. List the IRGC as terrorist org 3. Close their embassies and recall their ambassadors 4. Sanction Khamenei & sanction compliance A few suggestions that don’t include war or aggression. We don’t want war.

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

First line for mild asthma management is SABA + ICS. SABA alone is no longer recommended and evidence shows regular SABA use can increase the risk of uncontrolled asthma.

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

I left community pharmacy because I was being exploited, being paid a merely £17 an hour as an experienced pharmacist. Best decision I ever made was talking to others about my pay and understanding my worth. ✨

@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Is there a pharmacist shortage or are you just underpaying your team? #foodforthought

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Considering the current chaos of the NHS, pharmacy closures & increased workload for pharmacists and their teams, how *anyone* can justify this is frankly beyond me. Whether you’re a healthcare professional or not, let your voice be heard.

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Pharmacist lunch breaks (if you’re lucky enough to get one, despite it being a basic right) should be paid if you are still signed in as the Responsible Pharmacist.

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Pharmacist Melissa

11 months

Pharmacists don’t WANT to be GPs, say pharmacists.

@ChemistDruggist

Chemist+Druggist

@ChemistDruggist

11 months

Pharmacy First: Pharmacists ‘not a substitute' for doctors, say top GPs #GP chiefs have said that #pharmacists are “not a substitute” for GPs in the wake of the long-awaited announcement of the new #PharmacyFirst common ailments service. @rcgp @TheBMA

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Classic pharmacy example of judging a book by its cover: when someone wrongly assumes that just because a pharmacy may *look* empty, it means they’re not busy. Don’t need anyone to be in the pharmacy for me to check 500 care home patients medication. 🙃🤪

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Pharmacists are walking out mid shift because they are burnt out. Some employers think it’s ok to leave their pharmacist completely alone. By definition, burnout is experienced as a direct result of workforce pressures. The answer isn’t to give resilience training.

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Deprescribing has got to be up there with my most favourite thing to do during med reviews.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Privilege to have been able to write this piece for @the_pda ⬇️ Read the full article here ⬇️

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

There is nothing “automatic” about a repeat prescription.

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Whenever I’m working with a male dispenser, patients often come to the counter as I approach them, asking: “can I speak to the pharmacist?” while pointing to the male dispenser. I *am* the pharmacist. Coincidentally, rarely happens when working with female colleagues.

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

I am sick of health workers having their basic rights taken away on a daily basis - staffing, working hours, breaks, etc. - and today the govt passed a bill to ensure ‘minimum service levels’ under the “guise” of patient safety to the public.

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but your prescription gets checked *at least* 4 times before being handed to you. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Really enjoyed being featured on this evening’s @SkyNews shoot talking all about flu jabs. Brilliant to see pharmacy being mentioned in a positive light in the media - this is what we need to see more of. 🙂💪💫🤍

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Day one as a PCN pharmacist ☑️ loved it!!

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Medicine shortages are out of the pharmacy and GPs control - please direct your frustration to the government. I spent my morning trying to source nurofen 200mg/5mls for a child with a history of allergies today 😭

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Pharmacist Melissa

7 months

Just another day working as a pharmacist and saving kidneys 🫘

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

I’m going to put this out there as there seems to be lots of concern regarding health professionals being paid “per vaccine administered”. This is simply untrue. I am paid my usual salary, for my expertise, skill, clinical knowledge & responsibility as clinical lead pharmacist.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Is everyone aware masks are still mandatory in pharmacies AND in healthcare settings such as vaccination clinics? Asking for a friend.

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Imagine having your job title as clinical pharmacist and *still* STILL there are people who make it their mission to tell you you’re not clinical. ❤️‍🔥

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Community pharmacists: overworked, close to burnout if not already there, thinking of alternative career options, causing an apparent shortage. Organisations: let’s ignore all workforce issues and introduce remote supervision, making pharmacists responsible for even more 🙃

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

When going to see your pharmacist - you don’t need to cough on them to show what type of cough it is. Describing the cough in words will suffice.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

To anyone who I annoy by raising awareness of pharmacy working conditions: sorry you feel that way. You don’t have to tag me in any comments, you know you CAN use the unfollow and block options. 👋🥰

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Today me and my colleague were called “murderers for giving out the death jab” by an antivaxxer who then proceeded to give us death threats. I fear that the abuse healthcare workers have dealt with is now SO normal that the next step is this turning into verbal violent threats.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

So much love to anyone who has ever lost a child. Miscarriage & stillbirth are not spoken enough about and we need to be better at opening these conversations 🖤

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Pharmacists know addiction is real. Our methadone patients come into the pharmacy every single morning (usually the first ones to arrive) for their drugs. Not because they wake up everyday and "choose" drugs. I'II never forget my patient who came into the pharmacy soaked from top

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

As an experienced community pharmacist getting £17 an hour to be responsible for an entire pharmacy is not good enough. Learn from my mistakes - know your worth.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Customer service should never be prioritised over patient safety.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Pharmacists are having panic attacks at work. Stop giving pharmacies more & more work to fix the GP backlog.

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Let’s stop assuming pharmacy technicians want to be pharmacists and start celebrating & appreciating them as they are! 💖

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you have a cough you need a PCR test. P. C. R.

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

PHARMACISTS 👏 SAVE 👏 LIVES 👏 TOO 👏

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Your pharmacist is there to help you. If they can’t sell you a product, because of your medical condition or age, and need to refer you to your GP, please don’t shout at them. We wouldn’t refer unless we have to.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

@sbattrawden smashed this piece on resilience 👏👏 on behalf of all healthcare professionals, thank you Sammy.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Resilience/meditation/mindfulness are not alternatives to acceptable working conditions.

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Pharmacist Melissa

8 months

My pharmacist toxic trait is that whenever I’m a patient either collecting medication or getting other healthcare treatment, I constantly think about all the possible errors that could happen. Even when I’m off duty I can’t switch that part of my brain off. Just me?

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Pharmacists are not “doctor’s assistants” ✨Pharmacists are EXPERTS in their own right, correct medication errors and prevent people from drug-related deaths on a daily basis.✨

@UK_Engineer_Mat

Mathew B.Eng

@UK_Engineer_Mat

1 year

@Oxfordite @Dr_Done_ I had to google myself… Its an assistant to an assitant pharmacist who’s an assistant to the doctor! You need A levels and a basic BTEC … Oh, and no shift work and it still pays better per hour than the dude who got into £100k debt to be a jnr doctor! Only in the UK bro!

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

If you want to discuss real issues on pharmacist workload, coming from pharmacists working on the ground, here’s a snapshot:

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

@edsheeran was magical. 💚💙💜💗💛🧡🤍

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Pharmacist prescribers 👋 I’m researching which university to do my Independent Prescribing course - please could you share which university you’d recommend? Thank you 🙂

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Pharmacist Melissa

11 months

I have a question, why would the regulator ask for our opinion if they plan to ignore everything we say and increase it anyway?

@ChemistDruggist

Chemist+Druggist

@ChemistDruggist

11 months

BREAKING: GPhC rubberstamps plans to hike registration fees by 7.5% The pharmacy regulator has taken the "difficult decision" to increase its fees by 7.5% across the board, it has revealed. Read below:

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Pharmacist Melissa

8 months

PSA: statins are used to reduce your 10 year risk of heart attacks and stroke, both of which can be debilitating and life changing. They aren’t just a cholesterol lowering medication. Medicines sometimes have multiple uses. That’s all thank you. 💊

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

I’m working on an article on pharmacy working pressures and burnout. I’d really love your input - share your experience either here or DM me. I’m determined to make working conditions better for pharmacists and their teams ✨

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@melsmedicines

Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

What’s the word for being so understaffed that you’re having to work your shift as a pharmacist completely alone?

@ChemistDruggist

Chemist+Druggist

@ChemistDruggist

3 years

‘Massive drop’ in safe pharmacy staffing levels in 2021, finds @the_pda @PharmacyHour #pharmacyhour

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

Long day but… passed my final CPPE assessment! Phew 🎉

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Pharmacist Melissa

1 year

“Show me a medicine with no side effect and I’ll show you a medicine with no effect.”

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Pharmacist Melissa

2 years

Please don’t abruptly stop your psychiatric medication based on what you read in the media. If you do wish to stop, talk it through with your pharmacist first so that it can be done safely, if needed.

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Pharmacist Melissa

3 years

Things you don’t need to feel embarrassed to speak to your pharmacist about: - the morning after pill - your mental health - your skin - your periods - addiction

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