Now, Birmingham... Let's talk Health. I have reviewed my Dentist and my Doctor, but there are a…read morehost of other places in Birmingham which are striving to keep us fighting fit. For my services which are not teeth related, I use the multiple places in Boots. Boots (as you will already know) is a chain pharmacy and beauty store - available in train stations, city centres and most places where you may need to grab a pack of paracetamol or some plasters. This boots, however, offers a whole host of other services you may need for a range of health needs. Upstairs are your beauty counters, hygiene products and gifts (the discount on gifts after christmas is particularly good - offering 50% - 70% off), but on the lower floor are it's other services. If you pop on the escalators and head downstairs you'll find an optician, an NHS walk-in, a doctors surgery, Birmingham Uni dentists and a sexual health clinic. With the doctors surgery and dentist, you will need an appointment. The optician will see walk-ins (depending on how busy they are) and the sexual health clinic and NHS centre are totally walk-in led. This, obviously, can lead to long waiting times - but if you desperately need a doctor and can't get an appointment at your local clinic, this place is a lifesaver (probably quite literally). As well as the various medical services I have mentioned, Boots offers a "stop smoking" clinic and other health led initiatives. When I first moved into Birmingham City Centre I had no idea where my local health services would be (I was dreading having to catch a bus out of town), so for all of those who work or live in the City - this place is your one stop shop for when you're feeling off or need some supplies.

This is a great little Boots situated in the centre of town. It's got all you need from a general…read moreBoots store; cosmetics, perfume, toiletries. food and it has a pharmacy. There's also the more seasonal items. Currently there are sunglasses and lotions located towards the back of the store. It's never been overly busy when i've been there even at 5pm on a weekday which is perfect if you want to spend a bit more time browsing. The meal deal is a good price (£3.49 at last check) and it includes a sandwich/wrap, a drink and a snack (up to the value of £1.25 so go for the larger ones!). The service is always quick as there's never really a queue which is great if you're in a rush.

I popped into this pharmacy during the week just have a browse and was delighted to find a large…read morestore filled with a wealth of products. They stock everything a general pharmacy should but have a great choice within each range. I was having a little bit of a problem finding exactly what I was looking for so asked at the counter. Instead of just pointing to where I should be looking another member of staff on the shop floor showed me precisely where the item I wanted was located. Great service indeed.

I would agree with Nicola I was impressed with the wealth of stock that was behind the doors of…read morethis pharmacy. It was busy when I popped in on a Friday afternoon, and as a result I had to come away empty handed as I couldn't find what I needed. The busyness wouldn't put me off from going back. A great pharmacy that serves the local community well.

This is the main pharmacy that I use, it can be found within the surgerys as you walk through the…read moredoor it is just on the right. They are quick and friendly and only once have they owed me medicine when they were out of stock but it was ready for collection the following morning. Perfect for those who are patients at either one of the two surgeries there

Nobody really likes going to the pharmacy right, it's one of those journeys that have to be made…read moreonly when necessary. This is just a basic pharmacy that is within ten minutes walking distance from a doctors surgery and it's in the middle of a residential area. Unfortunately I'm a regular here therefore they know me by name. However, it's good that they know who I am and (in a none cheesy way) I think they enjoy having conversations with me as much as I do with them. If there's something you don't quiet feel comfortable talking to your doctor about or just want a private conversation with the pharmacist, they have a private consolation area. Overall I think this pharmacy has most medicines and basic body care products. If they don't then they know where you might be able to get it.

This is a small but very helpful pharmacy. Despite being small, it has a good variety of products…read moreranging from make-up through to all sorts of medicines, baby products and generally everything you'd want at a pharmacy. I needed some emergency advice one evening when my doctors was closed and the lady on the till promptly got me a pharmacist who was very helpful and she recommended me a product until I could see the doctor the next day. She also remembers me every time I go in so it has a local feel to it.

The pharmacy is great to have in this area, however it can get quite busy in here at lunch times as…read morethey also sell food. The shop is really small and they only ever seem to have limited cashiers on so the queue can sometimes trail around the shop which makes it hard to get around.

You can't miss Shire Pharmacy as you pass through the Edward Road. It's a corner store linking to…read moreCannon Hill Road. They keep a large stock of toiletries and baby products at reasonable prices. They usually have offers on their over-the-counter medications, which is worthwhile stocking up on! The staff are friendly and polite. They're pretty quick at preparing prescriptions and will always warn you if it will take longer than usual. They have repeat prescription and home delivery services, which is very useful. Whilst you wait you could use the interactive television that talks you through common illnesses like the flu, and how to treat it. They are well-stocked with leaflets and pamphlets on STDs, antenatal issues and common cancers. They don't have a car park but you're bound to find parking either on the Cannon Hill Road or Edward Road.

I went into Merali Pharmacy to buy some under the counter medications for a cold I had recently…read moresuffered from. I wanted something that would stop the cold dead, but I didn't want it to cause any bad side effects. I walked into the pharmacy to have a look at the selection of products on offer; the shop was quite small so I didn't expect much. The shelves were well packed and the selection of goods was mediocre. I asked the pharmacist what was best and she suggested some over the counter all in one pills. They were quite expensive and I would have preferred to have gone down the generic route, but the product did actually work. I have never been here for a prescription, so I cannot comment on their service here, but I was fairly glad with the selection on offer in store.

For a Superdrug store, this store is really impressive and certainly did impress me on my trip to…read moreBirmingham, being a large and modern store in the Bullring. Superdrug is a brand which either has good or terrible stores based on past experiences from Manchester to London, Liverpool to Brighton and across England - but this store offers facilities I've never seen in a Superdrug store before including a salon for women, and a barbers for men - normally they just have a small area of the store for women's beauty as this is a health and beauty retailer as well as a pharmacy, but it catered for men in that department too, offering a dry cut for the low price of £14 which is pretty good for the city centre, I've paid a lot more than that back home in Manchester too! The beverage selection was also pretty large, sadly it didn't have any Lipton drinks (these seem to have been replaced with fuze tea in every branch) or Starbucks beverages (some stores have these) The store, in general, was pretty modern and had a good range of products. Service and the queuing process could have been better as well as ensuring every part of the store was modern and stood out, as if not it just appears to be a little mix and match. 4* - Really good facilities for a Superdrug store in a central location, despite its flaws it is probably my favourite Superdrug store.

This store is always busy but I never spend ages waiting in line. The staff are always good,…read morefriendly and quick at serving. I use this Superdrug mainly for skincare and dry shampoo. Out of the Superdrugs in Birmingham city centre I think this is the best one. The layout is very clear and I always know where everything will be. I noticed in other Superdrugs that they don't stock as much of there on offer items as this store does. Herbal Essense and Batiste dry shampoo is always at the entrance when its half price!

Excellent service and been 100% with everything they say and provide. The opening time is no…read morelonger 7am and is now 9am.

No matter how invincible we may consider ourselves, we're only human. Inevitably we need to go to…read morethe doctors but often we can avoid a trip to the surgery by seeing the middle-man - the pharmacist. Hyatt Pharmacy is open 7-days-a-week and open early till late. It's saved me driving around frantically for an open chemist at odd hours of the evening on numerous occasions! The staff are welcoming and helpful. They'll give advice and recommendations on what is best for you, and they're always well-stocked with all the baby products, toiletries and medications you could need. The best thing for me is the ongoing sale they seem to have so I tend to make visits for all the wrong reasons - to shop! They have a £1 section where I stock up on much-needed toiletries and they have some interesting nail varnishes and make-up that is a bargain - food for thought for the ladies out there!