Medication is a form of treatment for many health conditions. Some medicines are available from pharmacists or supermarkets, others need a prescription from your GP or another healthcare professional.
CNWL's pharmacy service specialises in mental health medicines and can help you make the best use of your medicines by providing information, education and expertise.
You can speak to a pharmacist for support, advice or guidance on your medications:
Call 020 3317 5090 or send a text to 07563 466 418 to request an appointment between Monday to Friday between 10am to 3pm and a pharmacist will contact you through our safe and secure portal
The pharmacist can provide advice on:
- Newly prescribed medicines
- Side-effects of medication
- Interactions with prescribed or over the counter medicines
- Missed doses
- Choice of medication
- Practical issues with medicines such as storage or obtaining a supply
General opening hours are: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Staff across CNWL have access to on-call pharmacy services outside of these hours.
Location:
St Charles Hospital
Mental Health Unit
Exmoor Street
London
W10 6DZ
Telephone number: 020 3317 4070
To view Bank Holiday pharmacy opening times in London, you will be able to download a London wide spreadsheet by borough to see which pharmacies are open, on the NHS England website.
TF Chan
Chief Pharmacist & Accountable Officer for Controlled Drugs
Telephone: 020 3214 5896
Email: pharmacy.cnwl@nhs.net
There are a variety of resources available that can help you make informed decisions about your medicines. The resources below contain reliable information about medicines, which we would recommend that you use.
The Choice and Medication website includes patient information leaflets, handy charts and fact sheets on mental health conditions and medicines.
The best use of medicines in pregnancy (BUMPS) website provides information leaflets on the use of individual medicines in pregnancy. Information on the use of sodium valproate in pregnancy is also available:
- Valproate patient guide (opens PDF)
- Valproate card for patients (opens PDF)
Easy read and audio leaflets for patients with learning disabilities, their carers and younger people can be found at the following websites:
Medication information leaflets for children can be found at the following websites:
- Medicines for children
- Headmeds (mental health medication information)
Other medication resources and websites that you may find helpful:
For general information:
- NHS Choices
- Patient.info
- Drug Driving Rules
- MIND
- Patient information leaflets (click on the purple PIL)
For help taking your medicines:
- My Medication Passport - Apple
- My Medication Passport - Android
- Lithium app (android version)
- Lithium app (iPhone version)
For information on drugs and alcohol:
Medicines information
We understand that the recent media coverage about the antipsychotic medication, clozapine, may be concerning for patients and their loved ones.
If you or a family member is prescribed clozapine and are worried, please contact your clozapine clinic, mental health team or doctor. Alternatively, you can request a consultation with a pharmacist by texting 07563 466 418. Appointments are available Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm.
It is extremely important that patients do not stop taking clozapine without speaking to their doctor or mental health team as this could affect their overall physical and mental health.
Clozapine remains a very effective treatment, especially for those where other treatments may have failed. The majority of adverse effects can be minimised or prevented through careful monitoring and understanding what may affect clozapine blood levels.
CNWL will work with patients to make sure every patient receives the correct monitoring and advice and we are here to address and action any concerns raised by patients and carers promptly.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch by texting 07563 466 418 if you would like a one-to-one appointment with a senior pharmacist to discuss your medication. We offer online or phone appointments, or in person if you prefer.
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