Peter James -Bridgegate Chemist

The new NHS contraception service enables you to get started on or renew your supply of the oral contraceptive pill, without needing to see your GP.

If you would like to get started on some form of oral contraception, you should be under the age of 55. If you are already prescribed an oral contraceptive by your GP or sexual health clinic, you need to be aged between 18-55 if you’re taking a progesterone-only pill or aged between 18-49 if you’re taking the combined pill.

You do not have to be one of our regular patients to use our service, anyone can take advantage of the FREE NHS service.

Please call us on 01777 703299 to book an appointment with our fully accredited pharmacist if you have around 4 weeks supply or less left, or at anytime of you want to get started on contraception.

Providing the vaccines arrive in time from the NHS, we are pleased to announce that we will be supporting the Spring 2024 Covid Vaccination Booster Campaign here at Bridgegate Chemist.

**IMPORTANT INFORMATION**
Only people aged 75 years and older, residents in care homes for older people, and those aged 6 months and over with a weakened immune system will be offered a dose of COVID-19 vaccine this spring.

No appointment necessary.

If you're planning to travel outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world.

We offer a wide range of travel vaccinations at our pharmacy. If you need vaccinations for travel purposes or occupational health, we are well placed to help you. Our travel vaccination pharmacists will take you through a consultation to establish your vaccination needs and requirements. We also offer antimalarials which can be dispensed at the same appointment.

Vaccinations are very important to protect yourself and your loved one. Also,for your travel insurance to be valid, you need to have done the recommended vaccinations. Some vaccinations have multiple doses so it’s important that you plan to have your vaccination in advance of your departure date, usually 6-8 weeks prior if at all possible.

We offer walk-in appointments to suit your needs. Our pharmacists have received specific training in providing travel vaccinations services. The service will be provided in a private consultation room where you can ask any questions you might have during the consultation. It's important that you bring any previous immunisation history with you to help the pharmacist work out what vaccination you need.

Do you [or your child] have [sinusitis / a sore throat / earache / impetigo / an infected inset bite / shingles / a urinary tract infection (women)]?

A new free NHS service means you can now access advice and medicines from Bridgegate Chemist and Ordsall Pharmacy – and without the need for a GP appointment.

Ask one of our pharmacists for help through the Pharmacy First service.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our customers a very Happy Christmas and Healthy New Year and at the same time to remind you of the changes to our usual opening hours over the festive period

Saturday 23rd December. 8am - 1pm
Christmas Day. Closed
Boxing Day. Closed

Saturday 30th December. 8am - 1pm
New Years Day Closed

Due to the sheer number of prescriptions we are currently having to process, we may not be able to have them all ready in time for a pre-Christmas delivery. Please bear with us during one of our busiest times of year and we will do our very best to get your medications delivered out to you as soon as possible. Needless to say, all urgent requests for antibiotics and end of line medications will be a priority.

Flu and Covid-19 vaccination for all eligible patients should be completed by 15th December 2023. If you still haven't had your vaccination and are in one of the eligible groups who are entitled to the vaccine, get one now!
We are happy to accept walk-ins. Appointments not always necessary.
The groups to be offered vaccinations are:

*All adults aged 65 and over
*Persons in a clinical risk group
*Frontline health and social care workers
*Persons who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
*Persons who are carers and staff working in care homes for older adults

We are currently recruiting for staff to help us out over the festive period.
Anyone interested in joining our team until the end of January 2024 should apply in writing only, for the attention of the Recruitment Officer, to:

Bridgegate Chemist
54 Bridgegate
Retford
DN22 7UZ

We are happy to consider flexible working patterns (days and hours)

Because of the current weather conditions our delivery drivers may have problems getting to some of the outlying villages today. We apologise in advance but will get the medications out to you as soon as roads are passable but this may not be today. Please relate this message to any family and friends who utilise our free delivery service and do not have access to social media.

We have finally taken delivery of the Covid-19 vaccines for the autumn/winter 2023/24 campaign and will commence the service from Wednesday 4th October.
Those eligible for the vaccine include those:

💉aged 65 years old or over (you need to be 65 years old by 31 March 2024)
💉aged 6 months to 64 years old and are at increased risk
💉living in a care home for older adults
💉a frontline health or social care worker
💉aged 16 to 64 years old and are a carer
💉aged 12 to 64 years old and live with someone with a weakened immune system

The NHS recommends those eligible to have the annual influenza vaccine too.

We are happy to accommodate you by calling in to the pharmacy when you are next passing or you can book online at

https://mylocalchemist.as.me/bridgegate

If you have previously expressed an interest in having the vaccine at our pharmacy then please bear with us as we work through the list of enquiries over the next few days.

At the end of last week we took delivery of our flu vaccines.
You can make an appointment by going to our booking page at:
https://mylocalchemist.as.me/bridgegate
(although they are booking up fast).
Alternatively, just pop in to the pharmacy when you are next passing as we are happy to accommodate walk in too.
We are currently working through our waiting list so please bear with us if you have yet to have a phone call inviting you to an appointment.

UPDATE: Covid vaccines are due for delivery to us sometime this week (w/c 18th September).
As soon as we can confirm the date, we will let you know via social media and/or text message. You will then be able to book an appointment via the National Booking Service (NBS), our own online booking system (above). Walk ins will also be accommodated.

See you all soon!

We are pleased to announce that we have been approved to provide the Covid-19 vaccination service in the autumn/winter 2023-2024 campaign. We believe that the provision of this service from retail pharmacy will be of benefit to all those who are entitled to the vaccine.
As soon as we receive delivery of the vaccines we will open up the booking system.
The NHS recommends those entitled to receive the booster to have the influenza vaccine at the same time.
We are waiting for confirmation of a delivery date for the flu vaccines too.
Our staff are happy to take down your details and will contact you in due course when we have confirmation of delivery dates.
We hope that our 2023/24 vaccination program will be our most successful yet.
The staff and directors of Bridgegate Chemist thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you all over the next few weeks!

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our customers, old and new, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year and to remind you of our opening hours over the festive period.

Christmas Eve. 8am - 1pm
Sunday 25th. Closed
Monday 26th. Closed
Tuesday 27th. Closed
Wednesday 28th. Normal hours

New Years Eve. 8am - 1pm
Sunday 1st. Closed
Monday 2nd. Closed
Tuesday 3rd. Normal hours

We have had to review our opening hours for Saturday trading and starting from January 7th we will now be closing routinely at 1pm EVERY SATURDAY (opening at 8am as usual)

After months of planning and weeks of brick dust, the refurbishment of our pharmacy is now complete.
There is still lots to do but we are getting there. The refit has given us new consultation rooms which will allow us to not only continue to provide free NHS services such as:

* FLU VACCINATION SERVICE
* BLOOD PRESSURE TESTING FOR THE OVER 40s (for those with undiagnosed blood pressure)

but more specialised services such as the provision of medications to treat:

*URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS in FEMALES (from 16 years up to 65 years of age)
*CONJUNCTIVITIS (for patients aged 3 months to 2 years)
*INFECTED INSECT BITES (for patients 1 year and over)
*IMPETIGO (for patients 1 year and over)

The additional space has also given us well needed room in our dispensaries which now allow us to welcome NEW customers to Bridgegate Chemist. So if you have yet to nominate a chosen pharmacy to have your medicines dispensed or wish to change from another pharmacy to Bridgegate so as to take advantage of our FREE delivery service (or collection service), then please click on the link below or call in to the shop and speak to one of our healthcare advisors who will be more than happy to 'nominate' us as your chosen pharmacy

Link to Nominate - https://forms.gle/fghdVvrMWocQmrT88

NHS FLU VACCINATION SERVICE

We have received our allocation of both the OVER 65 and UNDER 65 flu vaccinations and already have a full diary for next week.
Thank you to those of you who have previously contacted us regarding a booking. We are working through all the enquiries and will contact you directly in due course to arrange an appointment.

We are happy to accommodate ‘walk ins’ but would ideally like you to book an appointment online at:

https://mylocalchemist.as.me/bridgegate

NHS Flu Vaccination Campaign 2022/23

As autumn approaches in the coming months, now is the time to start thinking about getting the annual flu jab. This year, the free jab will be offered to more people amidst concerns around the still-present coronavirus.
The NHS flu programme in England typically offers the flu vaccine to those over the age of 65, pregnant women and those with existing health conditions or weakened immune systems. These groups will remain a high priority this year, while the programme will also be extended to reach out to more people.
In a typical winter, flu is one of the biggest health concerns for many older and vulnerable people. With the additional threat of coronavirus this year, the public are being advised to take extra care to avoid both of these diseases. The government hopes for as many people as possible to receive the flu jab to reduce the risk of caregivers and healthcare workers coming under immense pressure.

We will start offering flu vaccinations from week commencing 12th September. This may change if the vaccines are not delivered on time.

We will be promoting our online booking system very soon. However, if you are not computer literate then you can telephone the pharmacy to book an appointment.

The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to people who:
are 50 and over (including those who’ll be 50 by 31 March 2023) and
*have certain health conditions
*are pregnant
*are in long-stay residential care
*receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person
who may be at risk if you get sick
*live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has *HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or
rheumatoid arthritis)
*frontline health or social care workers
*have a serious long-term health condition, including:
respiratory conditions, such as asthma (needing steroid inhaler or tablets), chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including emphysema and bronchitis
diabetes
*heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
*being very overweight – a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above
*chronic kidney disease
*liver disease, such as hepatitis
*neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, *multiple sclerosis (MS), or cerebral palsy
*a learning disability
*problems with your spleen, for example, sickle cell disease, or if you have had your
spleen removed
*a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or
taking medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy

Did you know that World Breastfeeding Awareness Week was earlier this month?

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is a global campaign to raise awareness and galvanise action on themes related to breastfeeding. 🤱

Let's raise the recognition together.

This week the Met Office announced a heatwave warning. ⚠️

Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it's too hot, there are health risks.

We've broken down a few key ways to keep safe and cool during the hotter weather:

✔️ Keep out of the heat if you can.
✔️ Wear sunscreen.
✔️ Make sure to drink plenty of water.

Also, make sure to keep an eye out for anyone who you know that might be vulnerable to the hot weather. ❤️

August marks Psoriasis Awareness and Action month. 📅

This is an opportunity to educate and inform sufferers on a range of topics varying from treatment, causes, triggers and management of the inflammatory and often irritating disease. ❤️

Did you cycle to work yesterday and take part in Cycle to Work Day... the UK's biggest cycle commuting event! 🚴‍♂️

This year was an extra special one as it marked the events 10TH BIRTHDAY. 👏

Getting fitter, reducing stress levels, saving money on commuting costs and protecting the environment... those are just some of the benefits of cycling to work!

Let us know if you were on the roads.

https://bit.ly/3Q8K6B3

IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR AUGUST

As many of you will have seen when visiting our pharmacy, we are currently undergoing an extensive renovation, so our team are working in a more congested environment. In order to support the works and the team, we have made the difficult decision to limit our opening hours for the month of AUGUST.

We will be reducing our weekday opening hours to 9am - 6pm from Monday 1st August until Friday 2nd September.

We hope that you all will understand and support us during this time. We are excited to be able to share that when the works are completed, we will have 2 brand new consulting rooms as we hope to provide more services in order to support the local community. As last year, we will be offering walk in and appointments for Flu vaccines and we have applied to the NHS to provide COVID vaccines too.

Thank you for your continued support

The team at Bridgegate Chemist

Peter James -Bridgegate Chemist updated their business hours.

As the kids are at home for the summer holidays, it's important to keep them active.

Sports and active hobbies are a great way to get moving, which is really good for everyone's physical and mental health.

Find out more at: https://bit.ly/3IWsDsU

Kids need 60 active minutes each day. As the kids are at home for the summer holidays, it's important to keep them active.

This can be in short 10 minute bursts throughout the day, try scootering, skipping to the shops, or dancing to a song.

Keep track of screen time – many parents find it helpful to set a daily limit.

Find out more at: https://bit.ly/3IWsDsU

Heat exhaustion is a heat-related illness that can occur after you've been exposed to high temperatures. 🥵

Learn the symptoms and what to do if you or someone else shows signs of heatstroke during this : https://bit.ly/3PwqdTY

Feel free to call our pharmacy for help and advice!

Do you need to talk to someone?

Talk to Us is a Samaritans’ annual awareness-raising campaign observed all through July. Talk To Us aims to highlight the charity’s work and the help it can offer. The nonprofit group, the Samaritans, started the campaign ‘Talk To Us’ in 2016.

Branches of the Samaritans will organise events throughout July to raise awareness of the services they provide in their areas. These coordinated local events increase awareness that the Samaritans are available at any time of day or night to listen to anyone who is struggling to cope.

Call 116 123 any time, day or night for support.

After months of planning, we have managed to secure the assistance of a group of shop fitters to complete the refurbishment of our pharmacy which, if all goes to plan, will commence this Friday!
The success of our business, with your support, has meant that we not only need a larger dispensary to facilitate the increased volume of business (due in part to our free prescription delivery service) but also another consultation room within the pharmacy allowing us to provide additional services to our customers which we plan to promote in store and via our page.
Please bear with us during what will be a mammoth task as we endeavour to continue trading and provide the same level of service as you have come to expect from us.

Sometimes the only thing we want is to be heard.

Month is a Samaritans’ annual awareness-raising campaign observed all through July. Talk To Us aims to highlight the charity’s work and the help it can offer.

How are you feeling? Sometimes it can feel a little overwhelming, that's why you have someone to talk to day and night at Samaritans- call 116 123.