Pharmacies
Woodlands Pharmacy
GILLINGHAM MEDICAL CENTRE, WOODLANDS ROAD, Gillingham ME7 2BU
Overview
Woodlands Pharmacy is a community pharmacy located within Gillingham Medical Centre on Woodlands Road in Gillingham, Kent. As part of an integrated medical centre facility, it serves the local population by providing essential pharmaceutical services and medicines to residents in the area.
The pharmacy offers a wide range of services typical of modern community pharmacies, including dispensing prescription medications, providing advice on medicines and their use, and health consultations. Staff members are qualified pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who work closely with the medical centre's doctors and healthcare professionals to ensure continuity of care for patients.
Woodlands Pharmacy is accessible to both patients with prescriptions from Gillingham Medical Centre and those with prescriptions from other healthcare providers. The co-location with the medical centre allows for convenient healthcare access, where patients can visit both their doctor and obtain their medications in one location. The pharmacy contributes to the local healthcare infrastructure by supporting prescription management and offering advice on over-the-counter medications and minor health concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Opening hours at Woodlands Pharmacy in Gillingham vary — most pharmacies are open Monday to Saturday, with some offering Sunday and bank holiday hours. Contact 01634 570161 for current opening times. Many pharmacies open early (8am) and close late (6:30pm or later). Check the NHS website for verified opening hours.
Some medicines require a prescription from your GP or hospital doctor, while many others are available over the counter without a prescription. The pharmacist at Woodlands Pharmacy can advise you on which medicines are available without a prescription and can recommend suitable treatments for common conditions such as coughs, colds, headaches, hay fever, and minor infections.
Yes, Woodlands Pharmacy offers free NHS flu vaccinations each autumn for eligible patients including those aged 65 and over, pregnant women, people with long-term conditions (asthma, diabetes, heart disease), carers, and frontline health and social care workers. No appointment is needed at many pharmacies — walk in and ask. The pharmacist can check your eligibility on the spot.
Yes, you can collect a prescription on behalf of someone else from Woodlands Pharmacy. You will need to know the patient's name and date of birth, and you may be asked to sign for the collection. For controlled drugs, additional identification requirements may apply. If you regularly collect for someone, ask Woodlands Pharmacy about setting up a nominated representative.
Yes, you can return unwanted, expired, or unused medicines to Woodlands Pharmacy for safe disposal. Do not flush medicines down the toilet or throw them in household waste as they can harm the environment. Simply bring them to the pharmacy and hand them to a member of staff. This includes tablets, liquids, creams, inhalers, and needles/sharps (in a sharps bin).
Yes, Woodlands Pharmacy offers Medicine Use Reviews (MURs) and the New Medicine Service (NMS) to help you get the most from your medicines. These free NHS consultations help you understand what your medicines are for, how to take them correctly, identify side effects, and resolve any problems. Ask the pharmacist if you take multiple medications or have recently started a new medicine.
Woodlands Pharmacy may offer COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses as part of the NHS vaccination programme. Eligibility depends on current NHS guidance. Check the NHS website or call 01634 570161 to find out if COVID-19 vaccinations are currently available at this pharmacy and whether you are eligible.
Pharmacy First is an NHS service that allows pharmacists at Woodlands Pharmacy to assess and treat seven common conditions without a GP appointment: sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated UTIs in women. The pharmacist can supply NHS medicines for these conditions free of charge if you are exempt from prescription charges. This saves you waiting for a GP appointment.
Woodlands Pharmacy may offer a free prescription delivery service for patients who are housebound, elderly, or have difficulty visiting the pharmacy. Contact 01634 570161 to check availability and arrange delivery to your home in the Gillingham area. Some pharmacies use delivery apps or partner with delivery services for same-day delivery.
Yes, emergency contraception (the morning-after pill) is available from Woodlands Pharmacy without a prescription. It is most effective the sooner it is taken after unprotected sex. Levonorgestrel (effective up to 72 hours) is available over the counter. Ulipristal acetate (effective up to 120 hours) may also be available. The pharmacist will have a brief confidential consultation. Emergency contraception is free on the NHS for women of all ages from most pharmacies.
Woodlands Pharmacy can provide travel health advice and some travel vaccinations. Common travel vaccines available at pharmacies include hepatitis A, typhoid, and cholera. Other vaccinations such as yellow fever require a specialist travel clinic. Book a travel health consultation at least 6-8 weeks before your trip by calling 01634 570161. Some travel vaccines carry a charge as they are not available on the NHS.
Yes, pharmacists at Woodlands Pharmacy can now prescribe for certain common conditions under the NHS Pharmacy First service. Conditions covered include sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women. This means you can get treatment without seeing a GP. The pharmacist can also supply emergency contraception and some other medicines under Patient Group Directions.
Yes, Woodlands Pharmacy can manage your repeat prescriptions for you. The pharmacy contacts your GP surgery on your behalf to order your regular medicines, so they are ready for you to collect without having to request them yourself each time. Ask about the Electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) service, which allows your GP to authorise repeats for up to 12 months.
Yes, Woodlands Pharmacy has a private consultation room where you can speak to the pharmacist confidentially about your health, medicines, or any sensitive issues. All NHS pharmacy services including Pharmacy First consultations, medicine reviews, and vaccination appointments take place in the private room. Ask at the counter if you would like a private consultation.