Mark, 45, comes to the pharmacy to ask for something for oesophagitis so that he is prepared for the festive period. He says he will be going to a couple of parties with work colleagues and visiting his family on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, when he expects to eat too much rich food. How would you respond to Mark? Discuss with the pharmacist and your team:

• What further questions could you ask Mark?
• What do you think he means by 'oesophagitis'? What is the difference between heartburn, oesophagitis and indigestion?
• Could you obtain enough information from Mark to agree to recommend a product to help him 'get prepared for Christmas'?
• What other advice might you give Mark?
• Is there anything Mark can do to reduce his risk of getting an upper gastrointestinal problem during the festive period?
• What should he watch out for at parties? How can he eat and drink without being a killjoy to either himself or others?
• What other lifestyle strategies, apart from those involving food and drink, could Mark use to reduce his risk of getting oesophagitis and heartburn? (Exercise? Sleeping position?)
• Assuming you recommend a product for Mark, could there be any interactions with other medications?
• Are there any linked sales you could make to Mark? Any other products he could benefit from having in his home medicine cabinet?