The best of healthcare, to the people that need it, sooner.
I have been a community pharmacist for over 25 years. In that time, I have seen pharmacy change a lot. I have seen Roslyn change. I have seen our health system get busier, more stretched, and harder for people to access when they need help quickly.
And for most of those 25 years, I have believed one thing very strongly: community pharmacists could be doing more. Not because we want to replace GPs. We absolutely do not. But because there are times when people need good, safe, practical healthcare sooner — and pharmacy is often the easiest place to walk into first.
From today, we finally get to do more.
Roslyn Pharmacy is launching a new range of pharmacist-led services, supported by government funding, that allow our trained pharmacists to properly consult, assess, diagnose and treat a range of common health conditions. This is not about pointing someone to an aisle, or handing over a pamphlet and hoping for the best. It is about sitting down with someone, asking the right questions, working out what is going on, and putting together a proper treatment plan.
For children under 14, we can now assess and treat some of the conditions every parent of a school or daycare child knows all too well — head lice, conjunctivitis, scabies, vomiting and diarrhoea, and acute pain and fever.
For adults, we can assess and treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections, including providing a full course of antibiotics when appropriate. We can also provide free emergency contraception for eligible patients.
I am so excited, because when you come in for one of these services, you are not simply buying something off the shelf. You will have a consultation with a trained pharmacist. We will take a history, assess your symptoms, talk through the treatment options, explain what to do next, and make it very clear when you need to see a GP or seek urgent care.
This is also where I think each pharmacy becomes a little bit different. With these services, you are not just accessing a medicine — you are getting a proper consultation with a pharmacist. The experience, judgement and care of the person sitting in front of you really matters. And this is where I believe Roslyn Pharmacy truly shines. We have a team of fantastic pharmacists, some with a few more grey hairs than others, all bringing different strengths, clinical experience and a genuine passion for helping people get the right care at the right time.
And because we are a pharmacy, everything you need to treat the condition is usually right here. These services are funded, which means the cost is significantly reduced for most eligible patients. We will always be upfront about any charges before we begin.
For too long, the full capability of community pharmacists has been underused. We are trained clinicians. We are highly accessible. We know our communities. And for conditions that need attention quickly — a UTI that should not wait three days, or a child with conjunctivitis spreading through a classroom — we can be a very practical first stop.
I have spent my career believing that faster, more accessible healthcare leads to better outcomes. This service is built on that belief.
At Roslyn Pharmacy, our goal is simple: to bring the best of healthcare to the people who need it, sooner.
And if there is one thing pharmacy has not always done well, it is telling people what we can actually do. So this is where I need your help. If you know someone who could benefit from these services — a parent with a sick child, someone struggling to get a GP appointment, or someone who just needs good advice quickly — please let them know where to go.
We are ready. Come in and see us first.
Andy and the team at Roslyn Pharmacy - Dunedins Friendliest Pharmacy