IN A corner previously occupied by a sales counter and a display of perfume, the Foster Pharmacy at 2 Station Road has opened a dedicated room suitable for private consultations and allied health services such as vaccinations and testing.
Pharmacy owner Chi Chiu and his staff have substantially rearranged much of the shelving and stock at the front of the shop to allow the two interior walls and the sliding door that form the room to be installed.
Inside the consultation room is a computer, along with an office chair and a comfortable reclining chair and footstool for use by the pharmacists and other allied health service providers, and their respective clients.
Chi said the decision to create the consultation room was prompted by the results of a survey conducted in the past, which identified that the lack of privacy in the pharmacy was an issue.
“The small size of the pharmacy’s actual shop area meant that whenever our customers wanted to ask us for information or advice they could be overheard by others,” he said.
“Then we had to work out the right position for the consultation room within the pharmacy; maybe in this corner, or perhaps that one?
“We realised that the front counter and till were rather underutilised and we could actually make much better use of the existing space,” Chi said.
“The consultation room has been approved by the Victorian Pharmacy Authority, and now Foster Pharmacy can offer our community an even broader range of services, in an accessible, safe and private setting,” he said.
“We can discuss medicines and treatments with our customers, provide a blood pressure monitoring service, and carry out general medication checks and specific checks for conditions like diabetes.
“The consultation room is ideal for administering ‘flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, as we now have a place where people can sit while they receive their needle and for a short time afterwards just in case they have a reaction, for which we are trained and well- prepared,” Chi said.
“As pharmacists we are often asked for advice on minor ailments, about wound care, and whether someone ought to consult their doctor about a particular matter, and we will appreciate having the consultation room available as much as our customers.
“The room can also be used by visiting health professionals such as the Hearing Australia audiologist who was here late last year and is expected to return again this year,” he said.
“People can book appointments to access these services by ringing the Foster Pharmacy on 5682 2210, calling in to the Pharmacy at 2 Station Road Foster, by going online at www.MedAdvisor.com.Au/Network/FosterPharmacy or by scanning the QR code.”
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