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NHS- PHARMACY FIRST 

The NHS have introduced a new service which is now available in local pharmacies.

Pharmacists can now offer advice to patients and supply NHS medicines where clinically appropriate (including some prescription only medicines), to treat 7 common health conditions,

These conditions include:

  • Sinusitis
  • Sore throat
  • Earache
  • Infected insect bites
  • Impetigo
  • Shingles
  • Uncomplicated urinary infections in women aged between 16-64

If you are suffering with any of the above symptoms you can visit your local pharmacy for an assessment, advice and treatment (if it is deemed necessary) without the need to wait for a GP appointment.

You can also still ask your pharmacist for advice on minor ailments such as:

  • Back-ache, sprains and strains
  • Colds
  • Conjunctivitis 
  • Coughs
  • Diarrhoea
  • Earache 
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Hay fever
  • Head lice 
  • Headache and fever
  • Heartburn and indigestion
  • Insect bites and stings
  • Mild eczema and dermatitis
  • Minor fungal and skin infections
  • Mouth ulcers
  • Nappy rash
  • Sore throat 
  • Teething 
  • Threadworm
  • Thrush 

Patient Information On Prescribing Diazepam For Fear Of Flying

Patient Information On Prescribing Diazepam For Fear Of Flying

At Duke Street Surgery, we will not prescribe Diazepam for patients who wish to use it for a fear of flying. There are several reasons why this should not be prescribed for this reason:

  1. Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed. If there is an emergency during the flight it may impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and react to the situation. This could have serious safety consequences for you and those around yo

 

  1. Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however when you do sleep it is an unnatural non-REM sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep. This can cause you to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot (DVT) in the leg or even the lung. Blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk is even greater if your flight is greater than four hours.

 

 

  1. Whilst most people find benzodiazepines like diazepam sedating, a small number have paradoxical agitation and in aggression. They can also cause disinhibition and lead you to behave in a way that you would not normally. This could impact on your safety as well as that of other passengers and could also get you into trouble with the law.

 

  1. According to the prescribing guidelines doctors follow (BNF) Benzodiazepines are contraindicated (not allowed)  in phobia. Your doctor is taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these guidelines. They are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going on a flight.

 

  1. Diazepam and similar drugs are illegal in a number of countries. They may be confiscated, or you may find yourself in trouble with the police.

 

  1. Diazepam stays in your system for quite a while. If your job requires you to submit to random drug testing, you may fail this having taken diazepam.

 

We appreciate that fear of flying is very real and very frightening. A much better approach is to tackle this properly with a Fear of Flying course run by the airlines and we have listed a number of these below.

Easy Jet www.fearlessflyer.easyjet.com Tel 0203 8131644

British Airways www.flyingwithconfidence.com  Tel 01252 793250

Virgin www.flyingwithoutfear.co.uk  Tel 01423 714900