Every year on 25 September, people around the world celebrate pharmacists and the vital role they play in keeping us healthy.
This year’s theme, “Think Health, Think Pharmacist”, reminds us that when we think about health — staying well, treating illness, preventing problems, and making care accessible for all — pharmacists are central to that vision.
What pharmacists do in Lincolnshire
Pharmacists in Lincolnshire do far more than just hand out medicines. They provide healthcare, advice, and support across many areas, including prevention, treatment, and public health. Here are some of the services already making a big difference locally:
Making care easier to access
Pharmacy First Service
Between April 2024 and March 2025, community pharmacy teams in Lincolnshire carried out 47,626 consultations through Pharmacy First. This gave patients quicker access to care and saved nearly 8,000 hours of GP and healthcare professionals’ time.
Pharmacy First & Urgent Treatment Centre Pilot
A new pilot means patients visiting Lincoln’s Urgent Treatment Centre with common conditions — such as sore throats, ear infections, insect bites, or urinary tract infections — can now be referred straight to a participating community pharmacy. Pharmacists provide same-day consultations and, if needed, can supply prescription-only medicines. This eases pressure on urgent care services and helps patients get faster, more convenient treatment.
Oral Contraception Service
From April 2024 to March 2025, pharmacists in Lincolnshire supported 3,967 people with starting and continuing oral contraception — improving access and helping to prevent unplanned pregnancies.
Blood Pressure Checks
In the same period, pharmacies carried out 32,967 blood pressure checks. Of these, 1,400 patients were confirmed to have high blood pressure and started on treatment. If those patients continue with treatment, it’s estimated this will prevent 11 deaths, 21 strokes, and 14 heart attacks over the next 5 years.
Supporting the wider health system
The NHS Lincolnshire Medicines Optimisation team is working to make sure medicines are prescribed and managed safely and consistently across the county. This includes improving how medicines are monitored, reducing waste, and making sure pharmacy services are fully integrated into the local healthcare system.
The bigger picture
Pharmacists in Lincolnshire are already stepping up to help with:
- Treating everyday health problems
- Providing contraception
- Helping patients get the best from their medicines
- Supporting mental and physical health
The theme “Think Health, Think Pharmacist” is not just a slogan — it’s already happening here in Lincolnshire.
Meet the pharmacists
To mark World Pharmacists Day, we spoke to two local pharmacists about their experiences:
Meet Blazej Jasnowski, Superintendent Pharmacist and Independent Prescriber at East Midlands Pharmacy Lincoln.
As we approach World Pharmacists Day on 25 September, I want to share how we live out the theme “Think Health, Think Pharmacist” here at East Midlands Pharmacy Lincoln, and how new programmes are giving us greater ability to meet your needs.
Who we are and what we offer
Based in the heart of Lincoln, our pharmacy has been serving the community for more than a decade. We are more than a dispensary; we are a health hub.
We provide support for minor ailments such as sore throats, urinary symptoms, or infected bites, alongside flu and Covid vaccinations, blood pressure checks, NHS contraception services, HPV and travel vaccinations, blood testing, weight management advice, and private physiotherapy referrals. As independent prescribers, we are also able to go beyond giving advice and, where appropriate, prescribe treatment directly.
People often expect to wait days for a GP appointment, but many of those needs can be addressed by coming to us first. Choosing to “Think Health, Think Pharmacist” can often mean quicker answers, faster relief, and less time waiting.
Good news story from patient Saturday visit.
A Lincolnshire resident visited the pharmacy on a Saturday morning with painful urinary symptoms.
Normally, she thought she would have had to wait until Monday to speak to her GP, but instead she walked into our pharmacy. After an assessment, we were able to diagnose a urinary tract infection and provide the necessary treatment under the NHS Pharmacy First Service.
By choosing to visit her pharmacy first, she was able to get the care she needed straight away avoiding a weekend of discomfort, a trip to urgent care, and the stress of waiting. For her, the message was clear: when something feels wrong, it pays to “Think Health, Think Pharmacist.”
Meet Rosie Wood, Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist, Lincolnshire ICB.
Why I chose pharmacy
I chose pharmacy because it combines two things I care deeply about: science and helping people. Pharmacists make a real difference by ensuring medicines are used safely and effectively, and I’ve always been motivated by the chance to improve people’s health. It’s also a profession that offers stability, variety, and plenty of opportunities to grow.
My training and career journey
I studied for a four-year Master of Pharmacy degree at the University of Nottingham, then spent my pre-registration year in a community pharmacy in Lincoln city centre. That experience taught me how important pharmacists are as the first point of contact for patients. It also showed me how wide-ranging our role is in supporting people’s health and wellbeing.
After qualifying, I worked in community pharmacy for four years, three of those as a pharmacy manager. Working as a locum pharmacist gave me the chance to see how different pharmacies operated. I took the best of what I saw and applied it in my own practice as a manager.
I was then offered the chance to study for a postgraduate clinical diploma in pharmacy as part of an NHS England programme to upskill community pharmacists. Normally only available to hospital pharmacists, this gave me advanced knowledge and skills to provide more patient-centred care.
During that time, I also gained experience in a community hospital and a hospice, before moving into general practice. Alongside this role, I completed the Clinical Pharmacist in General Practice Education (CPGPE) pathway. This 18-month programme gave me the skills to:
- Carry out structured medication reviews
- Optimise prescribing
- Run clinics
- Lead quality improvement projects
This strengthened my passion for improving prescribing to directly benefit patients.
I then trained as an independent prescriber, completing an intensive six-month course. This means I can now diagnose, manage conditions, and prescribe medicines within my clinical scope.
My current role
Today, I work within the Medicines Optimisation team at NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). My role draws on my experience across community, hospital, hospice, and general practice pharmacy.
Here, I help improve prescribing practices across the whole health system. This means:
- Making sure medicines are used safely and appropriately
- Helping patients get the best results from their treatment
- Supporting the NHS to use its resources wisely, keeping lifesaving treatments available for those who need them most
What pharmacy means to me
Working in community pharmacy showed me how true this year’s theme is: “Think Health, Think Pharmacist.”
Pharmacists are often the first place people turn for help, and our work touches almost every aspect of health and wellbeing. I’m proud to be part of a profession that supports patients so directly and helps shape the future of healthcare.