This month's topic in our Women's Health Series was cervical cancer, with a focus on the importance of smear tests, and understanding what the results of your smear test can mean. Dr Sarah Murphy spoke with Sophia Cahill on an Instagram Live about Sophia's experience of being diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of 31 after going for her very first smear. Sophia speaks openly and candidly about her experience, the symptoms she had, her treatment and about putting off her smear test and why she did so, reminding women everywhere that it is so important to go for your smear when you're due. To hear more of Sophia's story and some valuable information from both Sophia and Dr Sarah, check out the video on our Instagram page here.

Last week, we teamed up with Yvonne Duffy O'Shaughnessy, known on Instagram as The Health and Nutrition Coach, to bring you an Instagram Live focusing on children’s health and wellbeing ahead of the Back to School period. Our very own Marketing Manager, Carla, hosted the live and had a super informative chat with Yvonne about the 3 most important areas to focus on ahead of kids going back to school - food, vitamins, and getting back into a routine. Children thrive on routine. While going back to school after a summer of fun, less routine and later bedtimes can be tough at first, Yvonne explained how you can make this transition as seamless as possible by starting a little ahead of time. Whether your little one is starting school for the first time, or heading back after the summer, there are easy things you can do to make things easier for all involved. Yvonne and Carla’s discussion yielded some super helpful tips, including ideal foods for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner; advice on vitamin D and other supplements for children; the importance of children’s sleep; settling back into a routine and overcoming any anxiety children might have ahead of going back to school. For mo...

This is the first digital pharmacy project in Dublin and thefifthof its kind around the country. John Keane now has seven pharmacies in his group - this is his first foray into the digital offering. TheDrumcondraoutlet is a hybrid of digital and traditional service. It’s serving a thriving area with a very diverse community. The nearby universityfacilities bring a huge influx of young people, there is an existing older community and there are plenty of younger families in the area too. <IMAGE> Make sure to pop in and say hi to the team if passing as they are always at hand for your health and wellness needs.

Last week, Dr.Laura hosted an Instagram Live on the topic of adult acne and teenage acne on our CarePlus Pharmacy Instagram page. Laura’s followers had sent in questions about their acne woes which Dr.Laura answered and gave advice on, as well as recommending some of her favourite Cerave products to help with acne. Topics discussed in the Instagram Live included the most common causes of acne, the various types of acne such as persistent adult acne and late onset acne which can affect adults later in life, as well as the importance of treatment and sustaining treatment over time. Dr Laura also reminded young adults and teenagers with acne that there are a multitude of treatments available and to seek treatment from their GP if necessary. Dr.Laura gave her advice on treatments for acne like hormone interventions, topical treatments available with a prescription, and over-the-counter options. The discussion also included skincare tips with product recommendations, all products mentioned are available now in selected CarePlus Pharmacies. To hear more about adult and teenage acne from Dr.Laura, check out the video on our page here.

Killian's CarePlus Pharmacy - Trip To Uriage France Killian’s CarePlus Pharmacy were incredibly lucky to win a trip with Uriage to France to visit the Uriage spa and production centre. Freda, who works in Killian’s Pharmacy, went along to represent the team. The trip started on May 6th and ended May 9th. On arrival, the group took a boat trip around a lake, as well as a cable car ride up a mountain to have lunch. The group took in the gorgeous view while they enjoyed a Michelin star meal in a castle on the mountain. During the trip the group has had the privilege of visiting both the Uriage spa and the factories where Uriage products are made. Here, they were brought through each step, detailing the making, packaging and supply of Uriage products. They learned that Uriage is the only French skincare brand recognised by the French health board, thus if you are treated in the Uriage spa, 90% of the costs are reimbursable by the government. There is a 3-week treatment programme at the spa available involving rheumatology, nasal problems and post-cancer care. Finally, the group were lucky enough to visit the source of the main ingredient in Uriage products (thermal water) and given...

Park CarePlus Pharmacy, Cabinteely Friday, June 28th saw the Grand Opening of our 60th CarePlus Pharmacy, Park CarePlus Pharmacy in Cabinteely, County Dublin. It was an exciting day for all involved with some of the local primary schools in attendance for the announcement of the Dispensary Robot naming competition and a face painter for the little ones. The very best of luck to Laurence and his team from all of us here at the CarePlus Support Office.

Killian's CarePlus Pharmacy Awards Galway Carer of the Year On Friday, November 9th, Killian’s CarePlus Pharmacy in Loughrea had their in-store presentation of the Family Carer Award for Galway. The pharmacy was contacted by Family Carers Ireland, Loughrea to seek their support in presenting the Family Carer Award winner for Galway with their certificate and gift. The presentation of the award was held in-store with both the staff of Killian’s CarePlus Pharmacy and staff of the Loughrea Family Carers office in attendance, along with the award winner and her family, who were happy and proud to be there and stand-in for photos. Adrienne Furey + Family The winner of the award for Galway, Adrienne Furey, was nominated in the pharmacy by her daughter for the amazing work she does and carethat she provides. Killian’s CarePlus Pharmacy was delighted to have been part of this journey with the family and staff were glad to be involved in such a lovely day by the Family Carers Ireland staff in Loughrea. Special mention to Killian’s CarePlus Pharmacy staff members Freda and Margaret for their efforts on the day – they made plenty of sandwiches and cakes for all in attendance, really making...

Conaty's CarePlus Pharmacy, Dunboyne: Grand Opening On June 12st 2020, Conaty's CarePlus Pharmacy in Dunboyne celebrated the opening of Ireland's first digital Pharmacy. Damien Conaty is the Pharmacist and with the help of a very passionate team, the Pharmacy has only gone from strength to strength. Damien was excited to unveil the digital Pharmacy to the community of Dunboyne. This new style of pharmacy allows customers to use interactive touch screens. These screens allow customers to browse stock, research products and read recommendations. The open plan leaves plenty of space to talk with the pharmacist, who is based firmly in front of shop. After selecting your chosen products, the machine prints a ticket with a scannable code. Customers then bring this ticket to the till area and a sales assistant helps them pay. Customers were greeted by Bobbie, the robot behind the machine. Bobbie was busy at work handing out colouring sheets & crayons to local children. All members of staff especially Bobbie were conscious of Covid & were taking necessary precautions to keep customers & themselves safe. Free hand sanitiser & goodie bags were distributed to all customers....

Liberties CarePlus Pharmacy: Grand Opening Liberties CarePlus Pharmacy on Thomas Street in Dublin City opened its doors for its Grand Opening on April 12th.Eugene Shine is the Pharmacy owner and Denis Hurley is the Pharmacist in the new store.On the day, Liberties CarePlus Pharmacy hadmakeup artist Kacey O'Neil from L.A Girl in store, as well as a local face painter for any kids that popped in to say hello. Our new neeeigh-bours popped by to say hello. The very best of luck to Denis and his team from all of us here at the CarePlus Support Office.

Naoise, a Uriage skincare specialist hosted an amazing in-store event on June 21st. She covered a number of skincare concerns with the leading topics being eczema and dermatitis. Naoise shared a wealth of knowledge on how to tell the difference and the best products to use for particular skin conditions. All the staff at Conefrey's CarePlus Pharmacy are expert advisers on Uriage products and are always at hand to answer your skincare concerns.

Be SkinCare Aware We are so used to running for cover when we hear a rumble of thunder during the summer that it’s easy to forget that we are just as exposed to the elements under a beautiful, cloud-free sky. Whenever the sun's out (and even when it isn't), we are at risk of skin damage which is caused by the sun's ultraviolet, or UV, radiation. But just how serious is that risk on any given day? The actual dose of UV radiation you get outdoors depends on a number of factors, including: Geographic locationUV exposure is greater in tropical areas near the earth's equator. The farther you are from the equator, the smaller your risk. AltitudeUV exposure is greater at higher altitudes. Time of dayUV exposure is greater when the sun is high in the sky, typically from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. SettingUV exposure generally is greater in wide open spaces, especially when highly reflective surfaces are present, like snow and sand. In fact, UV exposure can nearly double when UV rays are reflected from the snow. UV exposure is less likely in urban settings, where tall buildings shade the streets. MedicationsCertain medications, such as tetracycline, sulfa drugs, birth control pills, diuretics and...

Killian's CarePlus Loughrea - Pediatric First Aid Last Thursday, October 25th, Killian’s CarePlus Pharmacy, Loughrea, hosted a Paediatric First Aid informational evening and demonstration in the Loughrea Family Resource Centre. Salina, a member of the Irish Red Cross was in attendance to carry out the demonstration. The event was a resounding success, with lots of interest in the week leading up to the event - many people called the pharmacy expressing a desire to attend the event and highlighting how beneficial they felt it would be. Freda, Samantha + Orlafrom Killian's CarePlus Pharmacy The guests were greeted by Orla, Finnoala, and Allen on arrival and enjoyed tea, coffee and some light refreshments during the course of the evening and spot prizes were given out on the night. Each guest received a CarePlus Emergency Contact Sheet, a Happy Healthy Baby informational leaflet, a small bottle of water and a family pack of Medicare plasters on the night. Eoghanfrom Killian's CarePlus+ Salinafrom the Irish Red Cross The evening’s events started promptly at 6:30pm with an introduction by staff member Samantha, and concluded at 8:30pm with a final word from Eoghan. The evening covere...

November marked Men’s Health Month, this year CarePlus Pharmacy supported the charity Movember. Movember’s mission is to focus on 3 main areas of men’s health: Mental Health & Suicide Prevention, Prostate Cancer and Testicular Cancer. Movember is the leading charity for changing the face of men’s health. We wanted to share some helpful information with our male customers. We shared this information throughout the month of November on our social media channels. This information included tips on checking yourself for abnormalities, men who are most at risk for developing prostate cancer and ways to help the men in your life to feel supported to talk about their issues if they are suffering. To raise awareness around Men’s Health Month we also had some Men’s Health products on promotion across all CarePlus pharmacies. Male pharmacists and team members were encouraged to take part in Movember by growing a moustache to help raise money for the worthy cause. Well done to all who took part and shared photos on social media.

On October 22nd, 2021, Keane’s CarePlus Pharmacy in Edenderry had its Grand Opening. John Keane currently owns several CarePlus pharmacies including one in Enfield, three locations in Mullingar & the newest addition Keane’s CarePlus Edenderry. The grand opening was a fun and exciting day with goodie bags for the little ones & delicious CarePlus branded cupcakes supplied by Sweet Dreams, the local bakery in Edenderry. Midlands103 radio station broadcasted live from outside the pharmacy, letting the public know about all the activities that would be taking place for the grand opening. Local influencer TheStyleFlamingos made an appearance on the day and showcased the grand opening on her Instagram stories. Many giveaways and prizes were also up for grabs for the customers. Owner John Keane and his professional team of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and shop floor staff all made the grand opening a huge success. The very best of luck to John Keane and his team, from all of us here at the CarePlus support office.

We were delighted to have one of our fantastic Pharmacists, Tomás Conefreyof Conefrey's CarePlus Pharmacy, on Ireland AM on Sunday morning (June 13th), discussing all things suncare, insect stings/bites, car sickness and dealing with heat, along with a useful checklist of essentials to have to hand this summer.

Weekend of Wellness Welcome to the CarePlus Weekend of Wellness. Pop into your local CarePlus Pharmacy & join in on the weekend's festivities. This event will be running over the 22nd & 23rd of November. Join us for: Free Health Services Great Offers Customer Information Free Sampling Across the weekend of Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd November 2019, all CarePlus Pharmacies will host a Weekend of Wellness.We will be holding Community Chats relating to all things cold, flu and staying well this winter. Our Community Chats are informal customer information sessionshosted in the Pharmacy - just drop-in, no booking required. Our friendly teams will be on hand to discuss any questions you might have. 1. Managing Cold & Flu this WinterFriday 22nd November at 10.30am• Tips on how to avoid catching the cold and flu• How best to manage the signs and symptoms of cold and flu 2. Understanding Seasonal CoughsFriday 22nd November at 12:30pm• Understanding the different types of cough• Treatment and tips on how to manage your cough 3. Building your Immunity and Staying WellFriday 22nd November at 2.30pm• Prevention through healthy eating and supplements• Healthy ways to strengthen...

CarePlus Breast Cancer Awareness Morning As October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month many of the CarePlus pharmacies organized a Breast Cancer Awareness Morning. Stores such as Whelan's, Halley's(Annacotty) Little Island & Keane's Green Road hosted lovely tea mornings in aid of breast cancer awareness. A special thanks to everyone who supported the fundraisers.The proceeds from all events went directly totheIrish Cancer Society&National Breast Cancer Research Institute. You can help too by donating on the Irish Cancer Societyor National Breast Cancer Research Institute websites.

CarePlus Annual Conference: FutureSense CarePlus Pharmacy hosted its 4th Annual Conference in Carton House in Maynooth, Co. Kildare on Sunday 15th September.Since opening the first CarePlus Pharmacy in Cobh in February 2015, there are now over 60 CarePlus Pharmacies operating across Ireland.The theme of this year’s conference was FutureSense; where the focus of the day was looking at the evolution of the Pharmacy industry and how innovation is playing a key role in shaping the future of the industry. Dr. Nina Byrnes The conference was opened by MC Jonathan Healy from Newstalk, who introduced the first speaker of the day, Dr. Nina Byrnes. Dr. Nina Byrnes first appeared on our screens as co-presenter of the popular RTÉ series Health of the Nation. Since then she has become a familiar face in Irish media and is a well-known and respected Media Medical Expert. She is also part of the team for Doctor in the House on Virgin Media One. In the show, she uses her expertise to identify key and potential health risks and ensures each household wakes up to thehealth challenges they are facing. Nina’s work encompasses all areas of general family practice, but her special interests are cardio...

Conaty's CarePlus Dunshaughlin Grand Opening Conaty's CarePlus Pharmacy in Dunshaughlin opened its doors for its Grand Opening on June 14th. Damien Conaty is the Pharmacist and with the help of a very passionate team, the Pharmacy has only gone from strength to strength. The Grand Opening was a fun and exciting day with a face painter for the little ones. For more information call intoyour local CarePlus Pharmacy.

Ardfinnan CarePlus Pharmacy - Grand Opening On January 21st 2020, Gerry McCauley and his wife, Rosemarie, opened the onlyPharmacy in the small town of Ardfinnan, County Tipperary. They’re both qualified Pharmacists and Gerry has the industry in his blood, as his dad was the founder of the well-known Sam McCauley brand. After several years working in various parts of the Pharmacy sector - including locum, supervising Pharmacist, research and more, Gerry spotted an opportunity for a new store in Ardfinnan, close to his home in Clonmel where he and Rosemarie live with their five young children. It seemed like the perfect fit, but Gerry says it took time to get everything right: “Between acquiring the site, going through the planning permission process and keeping my other business interests on track, it was a year-long journey but we’re delighted to have everything up and running now”. Gerry and his CarePlus team are enjoying a warm welcome from the local community. Gerry says there’s a strong demand for the health services they provide: “There’s a GP practice open three days a week here so we’re well placed to meet the needs of their patients, and we also service the neighbouring...