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.

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.

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. Customer may ring Winton Pharmacy (03 236 7729) to discuss smoking cessation products, which may then be delivered to Otautau. Winton Pharmacy has a contract whereby they can provide smoking cessation products on prescription.

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. This service is supplied at Winton Pharmacy, and patients will have to travel to Winton to have it done. We are very flexible as to appointment times and results and dose changes (if necessary) are immediate. Your GP must initiate this service.

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. This service is undertaken only from Winton Pharmacy. Patients must travel to Winton to receive the methadone.