Having up-to-date knowledge of a range of conditions and treatments is an essential part of a medicines counter assistant’s role, says the NPA

It has been estimated that as many as 60 million visits to GPs and A&E could be avoided each year if more people chose instead to self care with the help of local pharmacies. Pharmacy support staff can help promote self care messages to customers and patients, as well as offering knowledgeable advice on a range of common illnesses.

Medicines counter assistants can test their knowledge using the NPA’s online tool, Assess & Learn, which asks a series of multiple choice questions, such as these:

Q: A customer is suffering with a dry cough, which she has had for a couple of days. She doesn’t have any medical conditions and does not take any prescribed medication on a regular basis. Which one of the following is a soothing agent, mainly used in mixtures for dry, tickly coughs, and can be found in combination with honey and lemon?

• Dextromethorphan
• Guaifenesin
• Pholcodine
• Glycerin

A: The correct answer is glycerin. This is a soothing preparation for the relief of the symptoms of coughs and sore throats. Adults can take two 5ml spoonfuls, repeated every four hours if required.

Q: Miss Summers, a 20-year-old university student, comes into the pharmacy and tells you that for the last two days she has been feeling sick and has aches and pains over her whole body.

She has itchy eyes and not much of an appetite. She does not have a fever. She has not taken anything for it, but has been drinking honey and lemon. She thinks she may have flu. After asking the WHHAM questions, you find out that she doesn’t take any medication regularly.

Which of the following are common features of flu?

• Feeling sick
• Poor appetite
• No active fever
• Body aches and pains

A: The correct answers are: feeling sick, having a poor appetite and body aches and pains.

Q: Mrs Chapman mentioned that her husband had a sticky eye in the morning that felt gritty. It started off in just one eye and later spread into the other eye. She was wondering if there is anything he can use for it or whether he should just let it run its course. He is not on any other medication.

Which of the following conditions is Mr Chapman most likely suffering from?

• Allergic conjunctivitis
• Blepharitis
• Infective conjunctivitis
• Stye

A: Infective conjunctivitis: usually caused by bacteria, but can be caused by viral infection. The eye is often ‘sticky’, especially in the morning, as matter collects around the eye and people complain that the eye feels ‘gritty’. Conjunctivitis frequently starts in one eye, but can spread into the other one.