Pharmacy and Prescribing
The aim of the Pharmacy Department is to provide high quality, patient centred and timely pharmaceutical care within The Balfour and throughout NHS Orkney.
The department promotes clinically effective and cost effective prescribing.
The Pharmacy is open during the following hours:
- Monday – Friday: 8.30am – 4.30pm
If the Pharmacy is closed during the above times, the pharmacist can be paged via switchboard.
FreeStyle Libre®
Following approval by Scottish Health & Technologies Group, NHS Orkney is pleased to announce the introduction of FreeStyle Libre® glucose monitoring system for patients with Type 1 Diabetes.
The FreeStyle Libre® flash glucose monitoring system is a sensor based, factory-calibrated system that measures interstitial fluid glucose levels, rather than blood glucose levels, in people (aged 4 years and over) with Diabetes Mellitus.
Further information, criteria and eligibility can be found here
Gluten Free Food Service
Once the GP practice has given you your registration form, you will need to take it to a community pharmacy of your choice so you can be registered. You should stay with the same pharmacy for your gluten free foods. If you need to move pharmacy, you must go back to your GP and get a new registration form completed.
Gluten free foods available through your community pharmacy must be chosen from the NHS Orkney Gluten-Free Formulary. Once you have chosen the foods you would like to order, complete an order form with items up to the maximum number of units you are allowed per month.To make the ordering process simpler, an order form has been produced listing all products allowed on the service for you to complete each month The community pharmacist will use this form to order your gluten free foods and will contact you when they are ready to collect. You should only submit one order form each month.
Each month, a new order form must be completed and handed in to the pharmacy. You can choose different products each month up to the maximum number of units you have been allocated.
If you are an adult with coeliac disease (not Dermatitis Herpetiformis), when you register at the community pharmacy you will be offered an annual health check. This health check will ensure that you have a good understanding of coeliac disease and how to manage your condition. If any problems or concerns are highlighted the community pharmacy will write back to your GP and ask them to arrange follow up.
What are the benefits of using the service?
- You will have more control over the amount and type of foods you can order each month (up to an agreed amount).
- You will have the convenience of not having to visit the GP each time you need a prescription for gluten free foods.
- You will have more control over the prescribable gluten free foods and variety in your diet.
You will have the freedom to change your order each month so you can try different foods
- Gluten Free Food Service Leaflet
- Gluten Free Food Service Formulary
- Gluten Free Food Service Order Form
Useful websites
Primary Care Pharmacy Team
Our Primary Care Pharmacy Team works across all GP Practices in NHS Orkney. To find out more about our team, what we do and who we are including how to contact us please click on the link below.
Patient Group Directions (PGDs)
Patient Group Directions (PGDs) provide a legal framework that allows some registered healthcare professionals to supply and/or administer a specified medicine (or medicines) to a pre-defined group of patients without them having to see a prescriber. PGDs are reserved for situations in which this offers an advantage for patient care, without compromising patient safety.
Healthcare professionals can find out more information about PGDs on the link below.
For more information:
(01856) 888060