Press Releases

LLOYDSPHARMACY PROVIDES BUSINESSES WITH TRAVEL HEALTH SOLUTION

• Lloydspharmacy launches Online Doctor travel service to business community at the Business Travel and Meeting Show.

Responsible employers now have a quick and efficient way to ensure staff have timely access to travel vaccines and anti-malarial medication through Lloydspharmacy’s Online Doctor.

Employees travelling on business may not always realise when they are going to a destination which may require them to take additional health precautions.  Travel can be arranged within short timescales and ensuring they are protected against malaria and other diseases can sometimes be at the bottom of their list of priorities.
 
Lloydspharmacy’s Online Doctor assists companies by offering quick access to prescribed anti-malarial medicines and vaccines online, eliminating the need for a face to face consultation with a GP. The service is offered in conjunction with DrThom, the only online doctor to be accredited by the Care Quality Commission specifically to manage patients remotely.  It provides information on what precautions should be taken for specific destinations, then, where appropriate, supplies medication next day by Royal Mail Special Delivery.  The medicines can also be collected in pharmacy where the vaccines are also administered by a trained pharmacist. 

Clare Kerr, Head of Clinical Service Development at Lloydspharmacy said ‘We know from our research 1 that many people don’t take adequate protection when travelling.  For instance, we surveyed 1000 people and 1 in 5 do not take the recommended precautions when travelling to a malaria hotspot.  We also know there has been a 30% increase in the deadliest form of Malaria in the UK over the past 20 years. 

“We believe that companies should act responsibly in informing their staff of necessary precautions. Not taking precautions will put individuals’ health at risk and can also present a significant risk to the business as a result.  The convenience of an online consultation with a next day delivery of medication or administering of a vaccine in pharmacy will help companies ensure their employees are fully protected”. 

Lloydspharmacy online travel service involves the customer completing an online questionnaire which is screened by a DrThom GP.  If the customer meets appropriate criteria, a prescription is issued and medication distributed with advice on how to take the medication to best effect.  Customers ordering vaccines online can select a Lloydspharmacy branch where they want to receive the injections.

Lloydspharmacy is launching its travel service at the Business Travel and Meeting Show at Earls Court on 9th and 10th February.  The complete range of travel services can be found at http://www.lloydspharmacy.com/doctor and visitors to the show can speak to a member of Lloydspharmacy’s Online Doctor team at stand 245.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2010

LLOYDSPHARMACY AIDS VOLUNTARY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAMS

Volunteer doctors now have easier access to essential drugs and medications thanks to a new partnership with community pharmacy chain, Lloydspharmacy.

Lloydspharmacy is partnering the charity BASICS (British Association for Immediate Care) to supply drugs for emergency response incidents across the UK.

BASICS consists primarily of highly trained doctors, nurses and paramedics who voluntarily give their time to attend accidents and medical emergencies anywhere in the UK to support the Emergency Services. BASICS doctors will, if required, anaesthetise patients and perform emergency surgical procedures wherever the patient is. Historically as volunteers, BASICS doctors source the drugs they need through individual arrangements with hospitals but this partnership now means they have a consistent supply and single point of access to purchase drugs via a dedicated Lloydspharmacy website.

Speaking about the partnership Dr Vic Calland from BASICS said “We are delighted to be working with Lloydspharmacy.    Our members are attending emergencies and potentially saving lives every day and this service gives them increased convenience as well as confidence in obtaining the drugs they need.  It also gives us as an organisation, greater visibility and control about where drugs are sourced from.”
 
Sue Smith, Clinical Development Manager at Lloydspharmacy said “It is not widely known that the service BASICS doctors provide in support of the emergency services is entirely voluntary.  We are delighted to be supporting them in this vital role; providing safe and secure online access to drugs with the support of our pharmacy network across the UK”.

The dedicated Lloydspharmacy website allows accredited BASICS members to register, purchase drugs and choose where they would like them delivered.  In the case of controlled drugs, members can nominate any Lloydspharmacy in the UK where they can be collected. Dr Calland said “In the post-Shipman world it is essential that we have a formalised and audited supply route for these powerful drugs. Lloydspharmacy is providing a valuable safeguard both to the patient and to the doctor“.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2010

MILLIONS OF WORKERS HIDE MEDICAL SECRETS FROM BOSSES

Two in five workers believe it’s perfectly OK to hide an illness or medical condition from their employer, even if it could affect their ability to perform their duties. That’s according to new research (1) from the UK’s leading community pharmacy, Lloydspharmacy.

The conditions most likely not to be disclosed are depression, stress and substance abuse. Most employers ask prospective employees to fill out a medical questionnaire before offering them a contract. This is shared with a medical practitioner who will raise any concerns.

The research was conducted to coincide with the launch of an online tool which estimates how many people within workplaces are at risk of developing diseases such as impotence and diabetes, or already suffer from conditions such as Chlamydia and depression.

“Many people fear telling their employer about their medical condition, but keeping bosses in the dark can pose a number of risks. For example an employer might unknowingly place an employee in a situation that exacerbates the health problem,” said Andy Murdock, Pharmacy Relations and Governance Director for Lloydspharmacy. “

“We launched the tool to benefit both employers and employees.  We hope it will be used in workplaces up and down the country and encourage people to think about their own health, declare any problems they might have.

The calculator asks visitors to provide information about the type of workplace along with the gender split and age profile of their workmates. It then raids its database to calculate how many colleagues may have Chlamydia, how many men are likely to develop erectile dysfunction, how many are likely to suffer a stroke, how many could have raised cholesterol, how many are hazardous drinkers and much more.

In many cases information is provided about the condition or the issue and guidance is provided about what can be done to reduce risk factors.

The research also uncovered that almost fifty per cent of those surveyed believe that prospective employees should disclose all pre-existing medical conditions to their employers.

And it seems that men, more than women believe in full disclosure of medical conditions, with 14 per cent more men than woman agreeing with this statement.

The calculator can be found at www.lloydspharmacy.com/chancesare

Percentage of people surveyed who would hide an illnesses, medical conditions or health concerns from their employer:

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2010

- Call centre workers top inter-office romances league table -

A new online tool which allows people to work out how many of their colleagues is carrying a sexually transmitted disease, drinks too much alcohol or is depressed has been launched.

The Chances Are… Calculator, developed by community pharmacy chain Lloydspharmacy, is designed to stimulate debate and make health risks more relevant by applying nationally representative data to the workplace.

“People have become rather de-sensitised to national statistics,” said Andy Murdock, Governance and Pharmacy Relations Director of Lloydspharmacy. “When you hear that 15 per cent of the population is in danger of developing diabetes, it’s a bit meaningless, but when you discover, for example, in an office of 50 people eight will be pre-diabetic and 10 of the men will experience some form of erectile dysfunction after turning 40 you’re more likely to sit up and take notice.

“That’s why we have launched this online tool. We hope it will be used in workplaces up and down the country, get people talking and encourage them to think about their own risk factors and what they can do to reduce their chances of developing lifestyle related diseases.”

The calculator asks visitors to provide information about the type of workplace along with the gender split and age profile of their workmates. It then raids its database to calculate how many colleagues have Chlamydia, how many men are likely to develop erectile dysfunction, how many are likely to suffer a stroke, how many have raised cholesterol, how many are hazardous drinkers and much more.

In many cases information is provided about the condition or the issue and guidance is provided about what can be done to reduce risk factors.

The calculator is available at www.lloydspharmacy.com/chancesare

Romantic Indiscretions in the workplace

To coincide with the launch of the calculator, Lloydspharmacy has released new research (1) which shows that call-centre workers have the most inter-office romances.

Lloydspharmacy polled over 3,000 people and when asked if they’d ever had a romantic indiscretion with a colleague almost one in three (29.5 per cent) call centre workers admitted to a romantic liaison with someone they work with. People who work in finance and HR came second and third in the league table of workplace indiscretions.

When it comes to the regional breakdown, it's the frisky Welsh who top the league for sharing something a little more intimate than a salad sandwich with a colleague.

Percentage of workers in each industry who admitted to having a romantic indiscretion with a colleague

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

JANUARY 2009

DENIAL - A MAJOR BARRIER TO WEIGHT LOSS
Lloydspharmacy Launches Pilot Weight Management Service in Scotland

Almost one in three obese adults (about 3 million people) believe themselves to be in the slimmest half of the population  That is the shocking conclusion of new research¹ released today by community pharmacy chain Lloydspharmacy to mark the launch of a pilot weight management service in 20 pharmacies across Greater Glasgow, Clyde, Borders and Lanarkshire.

The figures suggest that one of the biggest barriers to getting the obesity crisis under control is denial.

And it’s not just obese people who lack a sense of perspective. Almost ten per cent of people who are clinically underweight (BMI under 19) believe they are in the heaviest half of the population.

“The first step on the path to effective weight management is a realistic appraisal of your own weight,” said Melinda Setanoians, pharmacist at the Lloydspharmacy branch in Wishaw, Glasgow.

“Denial is not unusual for any condition but we were shocked by just how many obese people perceive themselves to be a normal weight.

“It’s possible that we are programmed to be more interested in how we compare with other people than how we fare against some kind of national standard. In other words we don’t perceive ourselves to be overweight if all our friends are even more overweight!

“That’s why we were interested to see how people think they measure up against the rest of the population. If the obese people in our survey have friends and family who are also obese, that may explain why they think they are in the slimmer half of the population.”

Greater Glasgow was selected as the most appropriate area to run the pilot as it has one of the highest levels of obesity in the developed world. According to the 2003 Scottish Health Survey, 26 per cent of women and 22.4 per cent of men were classified as obese.  It is hoped that this service may go some way towards helping address this very serious health epidemic.

About the Weight Management Service

The Lloydspharmacy Tailored Weight Loss Solutions service was developed following a £30k research project into people’s attitudes to weight management.² The investigation uncovered that pharmacy was ideally placed to provide weight management services and the ideal offering would include:

• Encouraging healthy eating and physical exercise
• Education on long term healthy eating habits
• A flexible, easy to follow regime
• One-to-one consultations to assess key health measures (i.e. blood pressure)
• Personalised one-to-one support enhanced with online support
• A ‘health’ rather than ‘weight’ focus

The Lloydspharmacy Tailored Weight Loss Solutions service has been designed to address all of these concerns and offers a personalised weight loss programme. Customers are given a free consultation in a private consultation room, where our weight loss experts will take height and weight measurements, calculate the BMI and discuss the most appropriate weight loss solution based on the individual’s goals. Ongoing support is also provided to ensure customers are kept motivated along the way.

For more information on the programme, visit a participating Lloydspharmacy or online at www.lloydspharmacy.com/weightloss.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

JANUARY 2010

LLOYDSPHARMACY WISHES CUSTOMERS A FLU-LESS CHRISTMAS
- Pharmacy chain starts price war as winter flu vaccine is reduced to £5 -

Lloydspharmacy has cut the price of its winter flu vaccinations by more than half price to encourage more people to protect themselves against the virus. Now only £5, the Lloydspharmacy winter flu vaccine is the cheapest on the high street compared to Asda and Tesco which are both priced at £8.00.

Recent research carried out by Lloydspharmacy found that take up for the vaccine has fallen this year¹. This could be due to a misguided belief that the swine flu jab will protect against winter flu². However, price may also be a factor as people cut back during the recession.

Chris Frost, pharmacist and director at Lloydspharmacy, said: “Winter flu can be debilitating and in some cases lead to very serious health issues. By making the vaccines available in our pharmacies across the country we’ve already improved access. Now they’re even more affordable we hope to have removed another barrier to people protecting themselves. The last thing anyone wants is to have flu over Christmas.”

Seasonal flu is responsible for the deaths of about 8,000 people in the UK a year and tends to affect the more vulnerable or elderly people. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control forecast that the swine flu and seasonal flu strains could claim 40,000 lives each across Europe this winter.

People over the age of 65 qualify for a free NHS seasonal flu vaccination as do people with conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Others are able to get themselves protected on the high street. Lloydspharmacy offers a seasonal flu vaccination service in 260 of its pharmacies.

For a fee of £5 people who are not eligible for free NHS treatment can have an online consultation with a doctor at www.lloydspharmacy.com/flu and be vaccinated in the pharmacy.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

DECEMBER 2009

Average Adult Drinks 84 Times Their Bodyweight In Booze Over A Lifetime

Lloydspharmacy launches online ALCulator

The typical British adult will drink more than 84 times  their body weight, or 6,705 litres of alcoholic beverages over the course of their lifetime, according to research released today by Lloydspharmacy.

The leading community pharmacy chain has developed an online calculator which was launched by Carol Vorderman today. The tool allows people to work out their lifetime alcoholic beverage consumption, as well as how much weight they can expect to gain from the demon drink over the next twelve months.

As well as drinking a volume of alcoholic beverages equivalent to a large African elephant  over their lifetime, the average British adult is consuming an extra 1,000 calories each week from alcohol alone. For a sedentary person, this could easily equate to a pound of weight gain every 3.5 weeks due to alcohol alone.

The calculator has been developed to help people understand the health implications of excess alcohol consumption. According to the charity Drink Aware, the UK has one of the highest rates of binge drinking in Europe and alcohol is directly responsible for 33,000 deaths in this country every year.

The research has revealed that the average Brit drinks 2.114 litres of alcoholic beverages each week - equivalent to 3.7 pints of lager or 8.5 large glasses of wine. 

According to the ALCulator someone  who drinks 7 pints of lager and 7 glasses of wine each week, over the course of a year could expect to put on 4 kg.

The ALCulator tool was launched by Carol Vorderman in Birmingham today as part of Lloydspharmacy’s Neighbourhood Health Watch programme. The scheme seeks to bring together people with common health goals and provides a supportive framework within which to achieve these goals.

Nick Mortimer, Superintendent Pharmacist at Lloydspharmacy said: “Our new tool confronts the extent of alcohol consumption amongst British adults. A worrying number of people drink much more than the recommended limits and over the course of their lifetime this can have devastating effects on physical and mental health.”
 
Carol Vorderman said, “A glass or two of your favourite tipple every day doesn’t sound like a big deal but depending on the size of your glass and your drink of choice, this can easily push you over the recommended limit.  A supportive and enjoyable social network is key to helping people change their drinking habits and the Lloydspharmacy’s Neighbourhood Health Watch programme is giving people the framework to make life long changes to their lifestyle.”

The Lloydspharmacy ALCulator and alcohol advice can be found at:
http://calculators.lloydspharmacy.com/alculator

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

DECEMBER 2009

Seasonal Flu Vaccination Rates Fall As People Focus On Swine Flu
 
The number of people protecting themselves against seasonal flu has fallen this year, possibly the result of a misguided belief that the swine flu jab will protect against winter flu.

As of 6th November, 54 per cent of people aged 65 and over had received the vaccine(1).

In 2008, uptake of the seasonal flu vaccine among over 65s was 73.5 per cent. In 2007 it was 73.9 per cent (2).

Only 27 per cent of people aged 55 - 65 have had a seasonal flu jab to date.
According to research (3) conducted by Lloydspharmacy almost two in five people wrongly believe that the swine flu vaccine will also protect them against seasonal flu.
Even more worryingly, more than half (52 per cent) of the over 65s – one of the groups most vulnerable to winter flu – thought they would be protected against both strains if they had had the swine flu vaccination.

People over the age of 65 qualify for a free NHS seasonal flu vaccination as do people with conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Others are able to get themselves protected on the high street. Lloydspharmacy offers a seasonal flu vaccination service in 260 of its pharmacies.

For a fee of £12 people who are not eligible for free NHS treatment can have an online consultation with a doctor and be vaccinated in the pharmacy.

Seasonal flu is responsible for the deaths of about 8,000 people in the UK a year and tends to affect the more vulnerable or elderly people. Last week the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control forecast that the swine flu and seasonal flu strains could claim 40,000 lives each across Europe this winter.

The World Health Organisation has urged national governments to put in place plans to vaccinate at least 75 per cent of people most at risk of seasonal flu by 2010. (2)

“Whilst there is still time for vulnerable people to get themselves protected before late November (when the Winter flu season reaches its peak) we would certainly expect to see a higher uptake by this time of year,” said Clare Kerr, head of clinical services at Lloydspharmacy.

Editors notes
(1)   Opinium Research conducted for Lloydspharmacy among 2007 UK adults 4 – 6th November 2009
(2)   http://www.evm-vaccines.org/pdfs/wha_resolution_ipd.pdf
(3)   ICM Omnibus ‘Flu’ Vaccinations Survey 25-27 September 2009 among 1003 people.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

NOVEMBER 2009

Incoming travellers for Hajj from all countries must provide a valid certification against seasonal (winter) flu before acquiring a Hajj visa as specified by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. (1)

Every year, around 25,000 British Muslims visit Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia for Hajj.  (2) Pilgrims from the UK will need to prove that they have had their winter flu vaccination at least two weeks prior applying for a Hajj visa. 

Hajjis in the UK are encouraged to make an appointment at one of 260 Lloydspharmacy pharmacies across the UK to get their vaccination before applying for a visa. 

Anyone who needs the vaccine should visit www.lloydspharmacy.com/flu to complete an online health questionnaire and select a Lloydspharmacy where they would like to be vaccinated.  Qualified health care professionals in the pharmacy will then administer the vaccinations.

Following the vaccination, customers will be issued with a certificate to verify they have been vaccinated against winter flu.

The service is available now and costs £12.

Shafeeque Mohammed, clinical services development manager at Lloydspharmacy, said, “Winter flu is highly infectious, especially when in crowded conditions such as ceremonies, accommodation sites and on public transport.  The winter flu vaccination helps to protect the health of both the individual and the wider community. 

“Lloydspharmacy’s winter flu vaccination service is available at 260 pharmacies throughout the UK, making it easy and convenient for Hajj travellers to receive their vaccination.”

For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

OCTOBER 2009

References:
1. Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia – London. Available at:
http://www.mofa.gov.sa/Detail.asp?InSectionID=45&InNewsItemID=97610 [Accessed September 2009]

2.  Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  Travelling-and-living-overseas – Hajj pilgrims.  Available at: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/ta-relevant-to-you/hajj-pilgrims [Accessed September 2009]

COMPLETELY FLULESS!

40 per cent think swine flu jab protects against winter flu

Almost two in five people wrongly believe that the swine flu vaccine, which is due later this month, will protect them against seasonal flu this Winter, according to research* released today by community pharmacy group, Lloydspharmacy.

Even more worryingly, more than half (52 per cent) of the over 65s – one of the groups most vulnerable to winter flu – thought they would be protected against both if they had had the swine flu vaccination.

It is estimated that, each year, winter flu and flu related illnesses claims around 8,000 lives in the UK**.

Significantly more people in the affluent AB social categories know that they are not going to be protected against winter flu if they have the swine flu jab than those in lower socio economic groups (67 per cent verses 44 per cent).

Lloydspharmacy is calling for a Government-backed campaign to educate people, especially those in the most at risk categories, about the difference between the swine flu vaccine and the winter flu vaccination and the actions they should take.

“It’s easy to understand why people are confused,” said Andy Murdock, Pharmacy Relations and Governance Director for Lloydspharmacy. “A lot of people assume that swine flu is this Winter’s seasonal flu, but that is absolutely not the case. They are separate strains and the vaccine for one will not protect against the other.”

This week, Lloydspharmacy will roll out a national network of vaccination centres, located in 260 of its pharmacies. For a fee of £12 people who are not eligible for free NHS treatment*** can have an online consultation with a doctor and be vaccinated against this Winter's seasonal flu virus in the pharmacy. Following the flu vaccination, customers will be issued with a certificate to verify they have been vaccinated against the seasonal flu.

Visit www.lloydspharmacy.com/flu for more information.

 For media enquiries, please contact:
Press Officer
Lloydspharmacy
Tel: 02476 432192
Email: pr@lloydspharmacy.co.uk

OCTOBER 2009