COVID-19 Vaccination and Medschecks Services

Our Services

COVID-19 Vaccination

As an approved vaccination provider for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, we are committed to providing immunisations for the local area and wider community. You can check your eligibility by clicking here.

In the lead up to your appointment, please ensure you do not have any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19. If you do, please let us know and we can reschedule your appointment.

When your appointment is made, you will receive an SMS confirming the time and date. When preparing to have your vaccine, ensure your Medicare details are up to date and you practise good hygiene.

Please note that you may experience some side effects after receiving the vaccine. The severity will differ person to person, but they will ultimately subside after 24 hours. If they persist, seek medical attention immediately. For a full list of the side effects, click here.

Even after receiving both doses of the vaccine, we urge you to continue practising COVIDSafe behaviour – do the basics we’ve all known for more than a year.

Medschecks & Diabetes Medschecks

MedsCheck & Diabetes MedsCheck are two services we offer to our valued customers. Both these services offer a one on one, 15 - 30 minute private consultation with a Pharmacist, to review and discuss the best ways to manage and get the most out of your medicine. MedsCheck & Diabetes MedsCheck are FREE services to qualifying customers.

Our Pharmacists will take this time to document any discussions and form an action plan to better your medication management. This will be provided to you and the health care professionals involved in your health management if required.

Medschecks

To be eligible for this free annual service you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

You are living at home in a community setting,
Have a valid Medicare or Department of Veterans Affairs Card,
Have not had a Medscheck, Diabetes Medscheck, Home medication review, or RMMR in the previous 12 months
You are taking 5 or more medications or have had a recent significant medical event as defined by certain criteria

Your Pharmacist will be able to confirm if you are eligible for a FREE annual Medscheck. Bookings not essential but recommended.

Diabetes Medschecks

Our Diabetes Medscheck service aims at providing our customers managing their Type 2 diabetes with the resources and knowledge to reduce your risk of developing complications associated with Diabetes. Our one-on-one Pharmacist consultations are free of charge and are best suited to those who may be newly diagnosed or those with poorly controlled diabetes.

We do this by placing a focus on improving your understanding of your medication and the importance of medication compliance, improving the effective use of your blood glucose monitoring device with review of your current machine and testing routine. These aim to improve your blood glucose control.

As with our Medscheck, you will be provided with an action plan. We are closely associated with other health professionals in the local area that can better assist you with the management of your diabetes such as a Diabetes educator. We are also suppliers of NDSS products and services.

To be eligible for this free annual service you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Patient has been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes within the past 12 months or type 2 diabetes is less than ideally controlled,
unable to gain timely access to existing diabetes education/ health services in their community
You are living at home in a community setting,
Have a valid Medicare or Department of Veterans Affairs Card,
Have not had a Medscheck, Diabetes Medscheck, Home medication review, or RMMR in the previous 12 months

Your Pharmacist will be able to confirm if you are eligible for a FREE annual Diabetes Medscheck.
Bookings are not essential but recommended.

Home Medicines Review (HMR)

Our aim is to make medication management convenient for our patients. If coming into the pharmacy for a medication review is not the ideal option for you, then this can be done in the comfort of your own home.

Your doctor will need to write a HMR referral and send this to our pharmacy. With your consent, we will send this referral with your medication history to our external accredited HMR pharmacist who will then contact you to arrange a time to have a one-on-one consultation with you in your home.

The Pharmacist will take the time to speak to you, or the person that you care for, about the most effective way to manage medications and devices through a comprehensive clinical review.

This may include:

Time that medications are taken. This includes both over the counter medications, vitamins and prescription medications
Storage of medications
Review of medication expiry
Use of monitoring devices such as blood glucose or blood pressure monitors
Technique used for inhalers

The HMR accredited pharmacist will then write a report and send it to your GP, who will then give you a medication management plan. This report is also received by us at the pharmacy, which will be kept on file to ensure we are regularly communicating to improve health outcomes for you.

Speak to your pharmacist or GP to see if you are eligible for this free annual service.

Medication Management - Dose Administration Aids

Do you, or someone you love, have difficulty remembering when to take medications? We can arrange to help by packing your regular medications, both prescription and over the counter medicines, into a dose administration aid.

Our DoseAid sachets are a simple, safe and transportable way for people to take their daily medications. Medications are sorted into individually labelled sachets with easy tear open packaging by day, dose and time. Every sachet is clearly labelled with the patient’s name, dose date and day of the week, dose time, medication name and physical description of each tablets. This ensures that you are still in control of your medication management.

We just assist with getting these packed in an easy-to-use way for you, so that you take your medications daily and at the right time. You have more time to focus on other aspects of your health!

Does-Aid sachets are also convenient for travelling, or for children’s medication that may need to be taken at school or childcare.

Our great relationship with doctors and other prescribers in the local area make it easier for us to communicate any changes and improvements to your health, it also allows us to liaise directly with your doctors to get new prescriptions if required.

Feedback from our customers has been that DoseAid sachets are easier for elderly customers to manage, with clearer and bigger writing, & the easy tear open format avoids the trouble of having to push medications through the old blister pack style of packaging.

However, for those who prefer blister packing, we of course have this option available too. Come in and see our pharmacists for more information on medication packing & associated costs.

Staged Supply of Medications

In some cases, your doctor may feel it is in your best health interests to receive your medications in instalments, this also known as “Staged Supply”.

After receiving your prescription,
the pharmacist will:

Obtain informed consent from you to receive this free service
Provide medications to you in instalments. This may be daily, weekly or fortnightly depending on the direction of your prescriber
Store your remaining medications
Monitor your progress with your medications and compliance

We will actively liaise with your prescriber to identify areas of improvement and report progress with your medication management. This service is particularly aimed at patients with mental illness, drug dependency or otherwise unable to manage their medications safely. For everyone involved in this service, our aim is to get you to a stage where everyone, including you are confident with your medication management.

Pharmacotherapy

At Community Pharmacy we believe that we are at the forefront of helping patients with opioid dependencies. We can not only identify patients who would benefit from the program but assist those who are currently on the program.

Patients and pharmacists involved in Opioid Dependency Treatment will liaise closely with accredited prescribers to follow strict protocols in line with Victorian state regulations. Our program has both Methadone and Suboxone available.

We are able to provide patients with ease of access to the programs in a non- judgemental & supportive environment.

Working closely with your GP and other pharmacotherapy organisations, we are able to further provide our patients with support and advice. Our provision of these programs highlights the commitment of our pharmacists to harm-reduction programs aimed at protecting individuals who have a dependence to opioids.

If you are a prescriber or a know someone who would benefit from this program, please speak to one of our Pharmacists.

Vaccinations

All pharmacists employed at Community Pharmacy are accredited to provide vaccinations as per Victorian state regulations and are also First Aid qualified.

Before a Pharmacist can administer a vaccination, all patients are required to fill out a pre-screening questionnaire to ensure that the vaccination is safe for you. After the vaccination, all patients will be required to stay in the pharmacy for 15 minutes under medical supervision.

All vaccinations provided will be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register, where your doctor will be able to view your vaccination record. We also provide all our patients with a Patient Statement with vaccination details.

Flu Vaccinations (for patients aged 10 & over)

We encourage & educate all of our customers in the importance of having an annual influenza (flu) vaccination. Our advice not only covers information about the flu vaccination but also identifies other ways that you can help to keep your immune system strong with vitamins, and self-care and lifestyle tips during the peak flu season.

The annual flu vaccination is recommended before the flu season starts, which usually peaks between June to September. However, the flu can occur all year round.

As per the National Immunisation Program (NIP), those who are more vulnerable to contracting influenza may be eligible for a government-funded vaccination. Speak to your pharmacist to see if you are eligible.

Other vaccinations :

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
Diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (whooping cough)

These vaccinations can only be administered by a Pharmacist for patients aged 16 & over. Prescriptions are not required for the above vaccinations.

Bookings are not essential but are recommended to ensure adequate staff and stock is available. Please contact us for individual prices and to find out if you are eligible for a government funded vaccination.

Health Checks – Know your numbers

It is really important to know your numbers. Our health checks aim to be on top of your health and identify any warning signs of chronic disease. The results are received instantly in-store, once all tests are performed.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease may be preventable through lifestyle interventions and identifying the early warning signs. Our Health Check service provides us with the opportunity to be able to give you this information and further advice on what factors may influence your numbers. More importantly, we can provide you with support and lifestyle modifications that can improve your numbers to lead a healthier lifestyle.

We don’t just talk about your medication and test results but focus on preventative measures and natural health alternatives too.

During your Health Check service, the tests performed include a blood pressure check, blood glucose test and cholesterol test. We use our regularly calibrated devices to ensure accurate results. All our devices are sanitised before and after use.

Our great relationship with health care professionals in the area helps us to optimise your health by referring you on to your doctor when we believe more comprehensive tests may be required.

Blood pressure Monitoring

Regularly monitoring your blood pressure is a good way to detect early warning signs of cardiac issues. High blood pressure, also known as hyper-tension, can place great strain on your arteries and heart which can lead to heart attack, kidney failure and stroke.

Our free blood pressure monitoring service can provide you with lifestyle interventions to reduce your blood pressure and improve your health.

Whether you are currently on hypertensive medication or just want to stay on top of your health, our recording system enables us to provide you and your doctor with an electronic record of your readings.

We often recommend to our patients to get your blood pressure monitored monthly in the pharmacy so that any anomalies can be discussed, and appropriate next steps can be put into place.

Blood Glucose Monitoring

Our Blood Glucose Monitoring service measures your blood glucose level at a particular point in time. This allows you to see the effects that food, exercise, medications and illness can have on your sugar levels.

Ongoing high blood glucose levels can indicate diabetes or being at risk of diabetes. However, this finger prick test alone is not an accurate tool to diagnose diabetes. Our pharmacists will refer you to your doctor if we believe that further tests need to be performed.

Our service not only discusses health factors contributing to your blood glucose levels and ways to manage this, but we also use this opportunity to speak to you about your own testing at home and your monitoring device.

We believe that education is the key to prevention and management.

Cholesterol Testing

Regular cholesterol testing is important to detect the early warning signs of high cholesterol that can lead to many heart related issues. Discussing preventative measures and lifestyle modifications to improve your health is essential for us. Eating healthily and undertaking regular exercise are key to helping get your cholesterol to the right levels.

The test is simple. A drop of blood used with our ACCUTREND Plus machine gives you your total cholesterol, HDL (good cholesterol) & LDL (bad cholesterol) readings within 5-10 minutes. We suggest getting this test done every 6 months.

If our pharmacists believe it is necessary for you to see your doctor, we will write a referral outlining our concerns for further tests to be performed.

Asthma Management and COPD
(Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Service

As pharmacists we understand that filling your prescription for your asthma or COPD management is the first step to managing your respiratory condition. However, we make it a point to ensure that our patients are regularly reviewing their condition and discuss how many factors can influence it.

We aim to empower our patients and equip them with the appropriate knowledge, resources and support organisations to better their management.

Our service focuses on the following:

Providing you with education about your specific condition and resources to support
Reviewing inhaler technique
Reviewing all inhaler frequency of use
Revisiting your Asthma or COPD Action Plan and referring on to your doctor if required

Our support goes from discussing the above aspects of managing your condition to screening questionnaires to viewing demonstration videos of the newest inhalers that could help your health.

As part of Asthma and COPD management, we also do a free oximeter test to test your oxygen saturation level to show how well your lungs are working.

We want to work together with our customers to improve their asthma or COPD condition and improve your quality of life. We understand the effect it can have but want to reassure you, that your pharmacists and the team at Community Pharmacy are here to support you.

Naturopathy

Our naturopath consultations provide patients a professional and friendly approach aimed at assisting to improve and enhance individual health needs. Andrea our Naturopath, has a Bachelor of Health Science (Naturopathy) and is currently furthering her studies undertaking a Bachelor of Health Science (Nutritional and Dietetic Medicine).

Our consults are one on one and personalised to your individual needs and concerns. You will be provided with a clearly outlined report, with the discussed recommendations (including dietary and lifestyle) from both your initial appointment and any follow up consultations.

Naturopathy is suitable for all ages, and all consults are all private and confidential. Patients under the age of 18 must have parent/guardian permission.

Impromy Health and Weight Loss Program

Have you been looking for a weight loss program that is safe, nutritious and allows sustained weight loss?

Through our Impromy Health and Weight Loss program, developed by the experts at CSIRO you can improve your overall health.

Impromy offers:

personalised meal plans that combine high-protein meal replacement shakes for breakfast and lunch with high-protein evening meals
a Simply Well recipe book for easy recipe ideas
ongoing and weekly face-to-face support from trained consultants
a smartphone app for on-the-go support and personalised feedback
in-pharmacy point-of-care testing to measure cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar levels and weight
expert telephone and online program information available for consumers, pharmacists and doctors

Our initial consult to go over the program takes approximately 15 minutes. To sign up and register as a new Impromy member can take up to 45 minutes. During this time, we will undertake a pre-screening questionnaire to ensure that the program is safe for you. We will also take some measurements to allow the program to generate a personalised plan for you to assist in setting your goals for your weight and healthy lifestyle journey.

Weight Management and BMI Recording

If our personalised, science based Impromy program is not for you, then we can still help you on your weight management journey with our other products in store. We can provide you with resources, lifestyle modifications to improve your health and facilitate healthy weight loss with the realistic weight loss goals that we discuss. You can come in weekly or as often as you want to help us monitor your weight and other scale measurements to keep you on track.

Excess weight can lead to chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues as well as cause joint pain or disrupted sleep. This service isn’t just about monitoring your weight but also to provide you with education and resources to help with these other areas of concern.

We understand that it’s not easy to lose weight, but we are here with you, every step of the way, to give it your best shot.

Osteoporosis Screening – APPOINT Program

Amgen recognises the pivotal role that pharmacists play in identifying and treating osteoporosis. Like GPs and specialists, the role of pharmacy is equally vital in addressing untreated, unmanaged fracture risk to prevent the serious consequences of osteoporosis.

Depending on the patient’s individual situation, the service may involve one or more of the following areas of support.

Risk Assessment and Referral Form for patients undiagnosed with osteoporosis
Compliance Screening and Referral Form for patients who are not compliant to their osteoporosis medication
Re-engagement Screening and Referral Form for patients who have lapsed treatment of their osteoporosis medication
Providing patients on the APPOINT Program with Education and Quality Use of Medicines Support

Please note that this Osteoporosis screening does not involve a Bone Density Scan as this cannot be performed in the pharmacy. Referral for those identified at risk of osteoporosis will be directed to their GP to perform further tests.

MedAdvisor App

Do you have our MedAdvisor app?

medAdvisor is an app that helps you to monitor the supply of your medications, re-order them & even pre-pay & organise for either pick up or delivery. You can also order your non-prescription items directly through the app.

Some of the features available on medAdvisor include:

Fill-My-Scripts
See-My-Doctor
Automatically reminds you when to fill your recurring scripts
chases you up if you forget
Lets you know when you need to visit your doctor for a new prescription.

Take-My-Meds

Reminds you when to take specific medications each day, at the appropriate times of the day.

Tap-To-Refill

Tap to order prescriptions & have them dispensed in advance. When you arrive at the pharmacy you can collect them immediately without having to wait.

Carer Mode

If you are caring for other family members, such as children or elderly relatives you can set up carer mode on your account.

Want to know more? Ask one of our staff for more details, or check out this video from MedAdvisor https://www.medadvisor.com.au/Home/Features

Electronic Prescriptions (eScripts)

eScripts are now available to be dispensed at Community Pharmacy. eScripts provide a convenient way to receive your medication via a simple QR code. When you are at your GP or health provider you can request an eScript be sent to your phone via SMS or email. Simply bring this into store, scan it as directed by one of our friendly staff and we will dispense your script.

You can also store & order your eScripts directly from our medAdvisor app.

Not 100% sure on eScripts? Just ask one of our staff next time you are in and they can talk you through the process.

Home Delivery Service

Our home delivery service is offered Monday – Friday and is free within 5km’s of our stores*. For same day delivery orders must be received by 2pm^.

We can deliver not only your medication but also all your Pharmacy essentials. We take prepayment either over the phone or through our medAdvisor app and then deliver directly to your front door.

Our Pharmacies use King’s delivery service, who are endorsed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, to offer you a safe and professional standard of home delivery.

*delivery available up to 25km from store, however a $10 delivery fee applies. ^Delivery times are approximately as follows Wantirna store 4pm – 7pm, Glen Huntly store 4pm-6pm.

Equipment Hire

At Community Pharmacy we offer a hire service on crutches and breast pumps.

Our breast pumps are Medela Electric breast pumps, and we have a range of accessories for both mum and bubs to help with all your baby feeding needs.

We offer both kids and adults crutched for hire.

All our hire equipment is regularly cleaned and serviced and can be hired out by the week or for longer periods. Please enquire at your local store for pricing and availability.

Absence from Work Certificates (sick & carer’s leave certificates)

Did you know that our Pharmacists are able to write leave certificates for sick leave & carer’s leave?

Under the Fair Work act 2009, pharmacists can provide you with an Absence from Work Certificate for minor ailments. Certificates are provided at our Pharmacists discretion, and Pharmacists may refer you to a doctor if they see fit.

Certificates cost $25, cannot be backdated, and ID must be provided to the pharmacist. Consultations are conducted in store or in our consultation rooms to ensure privacy for our patients where required.

Ear piercing

NOW ALSO AVAILABLE AT GLEN HUNTLY!

Our ear-piercing service is available at our Wantirna store and can be performed in our private clinic room. Our ear-piercing staff are fully trained in safely and efficiently using an ear-piercing gun, with training certificates provided by Studex training. We do children’s ear piercing from the age of 5 & can arrange to have both ears done at the same time with two qualified staff.

Booking are recommended; however, walk-in’s may be available depending on staff availability.

$39.95 includes: piercing, earrings & ear care solution. Anyone under the age of 16 must have parental consent.

Witnessing of Statutory declarations and certifying of documents

Our Pharmacists are able to witness official documents and sign statutory declarations, for a gold coin donation that we give to a local community group through our We Care For…program.

Please note that Pharmacists are not Justices of the Peace (JP’s) and some documents may only be signed by JP’s. Bookings are not required, however during busy dispensing times there may be a small wait time for this service.

Responsible Disposal of Medicines

At Community Pharmacy we offer safe & secure medicine disposal. Unwanted and out of date medicines should always be disposed of responsibly, as incorrect disposal can lead to environmental harm.

Prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, herbal or complementary supplements, gels, liquids, creams and pet medicines can all be returned to your community pharmacy for free, safe disposal.

National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) access point

The National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) is an initiative of the Australian Government that commenced in 1987 and is administered by Diabetes Australia.

As an NDSS access point we are stockists of the subsidised products available through the NDSS program. These products include:

blood glucose testing strips (restrictions apply to people with type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin) urine testing strips
insulin syringes and pen needles (if you need insulin or approved non-insulin injectable medications)
insulin pump consumables (for people with type 1 diabetes or gestational diabetes who meet certain eligibility criteria)
continuous glucose monitoring products (for people with type 1 diabetes and specific ‘other’ conditions who meet certain eligibility criteria)

To access NDSS subsidised products you must be registered with NDSS. To register and for more information about the NDSS please visit www.ndss.com.au.

Please Note: Not all services and clinics available at all stores. Please contact stores for individual pricing and availability. Your Pharmacist will consult with you to ensure that the clinic or service that you are interested in is suitable for you.

Have a question?

At Community Pharmacy we want to help you the best that we can. If you have a general enquiry about Community Pharmacy, please use the form below. For enquiries specific to our Wantirna or Glen Huntly stores please use the contact us button above.

Our Services