More than a prescription: meeting Rachel from Sarum Pharmacy

When we think of a pharmacy, many of us picture a counter, a queue and a quick stop to collect a prescription. Our latest guest on The Community Sofa offered a different picture: a pharmacy you can contact by phone, with prescriptions delivered to your door and a team that takes time to get to know the people it supports.

Courtney and Debs welcomed Rachel, the pharmacy manager and an accuracy checking technician at Sarum Pharmacy, to talk about the service available to people in and around Salisbury. Rachel has worked in pharmacy for 40 years, starting as a teenager who walked into a pharmacy and asked if there were any jobs going. Her enthusiasm for the work still comes through clearly.

Sarum Pharmacy operates online, so people do not walk into its premises to collect prescriptions. But, as Rachel explained, “online” does not mean that everyone has to use a smartphone or website. People can phone the team, and Rachel can help them get set up and request their prescriptions. For someone who is less confident with technology, that conversation can make all the difference.

Rachel also spoke about the value of a chat. A call to arrange medication, or a conversation with a delivery driver at the door, may be a welcome moment of contact for someone who spends much of the week alone. It is a reminder that a practical service can also feel personal.

Rachel described Sarum Pharmacy's local delivery service, including an evening driver for people who are out during the day. Deliveries are made by the pharmacy's own drivers, giving customers a familiar person they can speak to. She said delivery is free for patients served by the pharmacy within its delivery area.

We also learned that the pharmacist can speak with eligible patients by video about some common conditions through Pharmacy First and, where needed, direct them to another appropriate service. The pharmacy team can advise whether a particular concern is suitable for that service.