Warfarin is used by some people as a blood thinning medicine e.g. after a stroke. It is important that blood results are regularly checked. This service involves having a quick test (finger prick) in the pharmacy to work out the correct dose. This saves you a trip to your local laboratory and waiting for your blood test to be processed.

It is very important that you receive regular blood tests while you are taking clozapine and these will be organised through your prescribing healthcare professional. We will check your blood tests to make sure the appropriate dose of clozapine is dispensed for you.

View the Ministry of Health website for information about COVID-19 antiviral medicine and who is eligible. Paxlovid is the only provided antiviral in New Zealand.

To receive the medication please call and talk to the pharmacist first, either immediately after you test positive or develop symptoms, to see if the medicines are right for you.

View the Ministry of Health website for information about COVID-19 antiviral medicine and who is eligible. Paxlovid is the only provided antiviral in New Zealand.

You will need a prescription from your doctor or nurse to receive the medication.

• Pfizer vaccine (12+ years) OR Pfizer booster (16+ years)
• Child Pfizer vaccine (5-11 years)
• Anyone currently eligible can access
• Make an appointment
• No appointment required
• Walk in

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is an important step you can take to protect yourself, your kaumātua and whānau from the effects of the virus. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccines and eligibility visit Ministry of Health - COVID-19 vaccines

Covid-19 vaccines can be administered before, after, or at the same time as other national schedule vaccines. When the Nuvaxovid vaccine is given at the same time as the Shingrix shingles vaccine or the Fluad Quad flu vaccine, there may be a chance of experiencing a stronger post-vaccination response and you should discuss this with your vaccinator.

FREE Covid-19 Vaccines are available from Unichem Total Health Pharmacy.

Use the MOH website  Book My Vaccine  - enter "The Strand, Whakatāne" when asked to choose a location, then choose Unichem Total Health Pharmacy.

https://bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/

The new XBB COVID BOOSTER shot is available now.

You need to wait 15 minutes after your vaccine.

Your pharmacists are trained to assess whether the ECP is appropriate for you. This is done in a confidential manner. The ECP works best if taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse but may be taken up to 72 hours after. There is usually a charge associated with receiving the ECP, although at some pharmacies the ECP may be provided fully funded for eligible people.

From July 1st 2024 funded medicine prescriptions will have a $5 charge (non-funded medicine prescriptions will have additional charges).

Prescriptions for fully funded medicines are free for people:

• aged 13 years or under
• aged 65 years and older
• of any age that have a community services card (CSC) and their dependent children (14-17 years old).
• that hold a Prescription Subsidy Card (PSC).

View the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora website for more detailed information on prescription costs.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) are medications to prevent HIV in people who are HIV-negative and at high risk of being exposed to HIV. View the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa website for more information about PrEP and PEP.

A prescription will be required from your doctor or health provider.

If you need to receive your HIV PrEP or PEP medicines the same day you present your prescription, please contact our pharmacy to check if we can have stock available.

• Adult flu vaccine
• Measles / Mumps / Rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Child flu vaccine
• Pregnancy vaccinations
• Diphtheria / Tetanus / Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine
• 45 year old vaccinations
• 65 year old vaccinations
• Shingles vaccine

Immunisation is the safest and most effective way to provide protection for you and your tamariki’s health. For more information view the NZ immunisation schedule.

FREE Flu Vaccine - Get yours now !    STARTS IN APRIL 2024

Flu Vaccine now available for children ( ages 3 years and over )

Free for:

• People age 65 years and over
• Pregnant women and partners
• If you have a long term health condition eg asthma, diabetes, heart disease etc
• Free for children who have previously been in hospital with a respiratory illness.

Charges apply for flu vaccine for those not eligible for a free flu shot.

This pharmacy can provide your children (aged 2-19 years) with:
Free treatment for headlice (kutus)
Free treatment for scabies
Free treatment for boils, infected bites, and school sores.
You will also be supplied with a free first aid kit, plasters, head lice comb, and written information.

This pharmacy has been registered to dispense Maviret (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir) for the treatment of Hep C and to provide you with counselling to support your treatment. You will not have to pay any pharmacy charges for your Maviret.

This pharmacy has specially trained pharmacists who are able to prescribe sildenafil (also called Viagra®, Vedafil® and Silvasta®) for erectile dysfunction in men aged 35 – 70 years who meet specific assessment criteria.

This service is designed for people with long-term illnesses who may need support with their medicines. An assessment is used to identify the things that affect their ability to take medication as prescribed. Pharmacists work together with the patient to address each issue. The pharmacist is able to assist you with managing your medications and can coordinate your medications so that your prescription repeats happen all at the same time and therefore require only one trip to have your prescriptions refilled. They can also provide you with a reminder service (via text message, email or phone call) to let you know when your next supply of medications is ready for collection. If you are having difficulties managing your medicines (e.g. forgetting to take them), please ask your pharmacist whether this service is right for you.

Unwanted medicines are often dumped into the toilet, tipped down the sink or put out with the garbage, which starts a journey that can seriously harm the environment. Please return any expired or unwanted medicines, or needles/lancets and syringes to your pharmacy. In doing so, we can make our home a safer place, help safeguard our community and protect our environment. There is no charge for this service.

This pharmacy can repack your medicines into compliance packaging (blister packs or sachet rolls) that specifies when you should take them. These can be supplied as weekly or monthly packs depending on your needs. This type of packaging can help you to take your medicine at the right time. It can also make it easier to see if you have missed a dose or are running out. It is useful if you are travelling as it avoids having to take multiple containers.

This pharmacy works alongside the DHB Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) programme. Pharmacy staff can administer methadone or Suboxone on a daily, or a takeaway basis, depending on what has been agreed.

Do you want a quick reminder when your repeat script is due?

Ask our pharmacy team about our free text service.

Our specially trained pharmacists can supply selected oral contraceptives without a prescription under certain circumstances.

Up to six months’ supply of selected oral contraceptives can be sold to women who have previously been prescribed the same oral contraceptive within the last three years and who have not developed any risk factors.

There is a charge for both the medicine and the consultation when you receive this service.

Pharmacy staff are trained to provide a service to help people to stop smoking. This service includes advice and providing quit smoking support aids e.g. nicotine gum.

We have qualified staff who can swab sore throats to check for strep throat. Strep throat is treated with antibiotics. If strep throat is left untreated it can lead to the development of rheumatic fever, which can damage joints and the heart. If you have a sore throat please phone us at the pharmacy for a phone consultation.

This pharmacy has trained pharmacists who can supply the antibiotics nitrofurantoin or trimethoprim for urinary tract infections. These are available without a prescription to women between 16 and 65 years of age, who are not pregnant and do not have any other complicating factors. The pharmacist will complete a consultation to make sure the medicine is appropriate and refer you to the GP if required.

Are you zinc deficient?   Come in for a free zinc taste test - it's quick and simple.

Zinc is essential for:

• Hormone production
• Immune function
• Skin and hair repair