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:

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:

Other medication resources and websites that you may find helpful:

For general information:

For help taking your medicines:

For information on drugs and alcohol:

Medicines information

At the beginning of October 2020 Essential Pharma, the manufacturer of Priadel® announced that they will continue to produce and supply Priadel® to the UK market. This was a change of heart from their decision earlier this year to discontinue Priadel®(lithium carbonate) 200mg and 400mg modified-release tablets. The decision to discontinue Priadel®was not in relation to Priadel’s safety.  

In light of this, clinicians across all healthcare settings are advised that there is no longer a need to implement system wide switching of patients from Priadel® tablets to an alternative lithium carbonate preparation until further notice.

If you are taking Priadel® brand of lithium carbonate modified release tablets continue to take it as usual, ensuring that you attend your regular blood tests. The manufacturer confirmed that there is sufficient supply of Priadel® to meet current UK demand. 

For anyone who is taking any other brand of lithium (for example, Camcolit®  or Liskonum®) there is no need to switch to Priadel®,please continue with the prescribed brand. 

For further information please contact the Medicines Helpline on Tel: 020 3317 5090 or e-mail: medinfo.cnwl@nhs.net

Quick links

Choice and medication website
Immunisation
Formulary