In the words of Rolf Harris, “In order to be spontaneous you need to be organised”. That pretty much sums up Glastonbury, Rock and Roll Pharmacy and the Festival Medical Serivice.
Phil and Michelle Allen of the Evercreech Pharmacy provided an exceptional professional environment for the pharmacy crew to work in and I found them to be thoroughly dedicated and delightful people. The service we provided integrated well with the whole. Medical provision at the Glastonbury festival has come a long way since the first festival in 1970 and the creation of FMS in 1995. FMS started out originally as a group of St Johns Ambulance nurses and doctors. They operated out of the kitchen of one of the Worthy Farm buildings. In the old days they wore crisp white shirts, pressed trousers and walked onto site carrying their medical supplies and equipment in a shoulder bag. The festival goers were often all naked. This was the year of swine flu and, undoubtedly, the passing of Michael Jackson but my enduring memory will be of the people I met this year; the music providing the soundtrack to the beautiful backdrop of the Glastonbury Festival site. For me, it has very much been a festival of unions and reunions as friends, old and new, joined together to make something special happen. I do hope you have enjoyed reading the Rock and Roll Pharmacy Blog, brought to you so excellently by Jim Hutchins. All my Twitter entries are collated on my Myspace if you wish to follow my antics throw by throw. Meanwhile,in the words of The Specials, “This town, is coming like a ghost town. All the clubs have been closed down”. It is unbelievably beautiful - a place that’s held in time as ‘forever summer’ – waiting for your return
Saturday night at the Glastonbury Festival was a long one.
Viv was in the crowd at the stone circle for the sunrise. At dawn she observed that “The end of an inspiring day meets the beginning of a very, very long day!” She does get back to the tent for a couple of hours sleep but doesn’t know how she’ll get any more before her last shift at midnight.
Although this year's medical queries include swine flu, opiate overdoses, meningitis, asthma and fits, Sunday morning business at the medical centre pharmacy includes a large number of pregnancy tests! The day unfolded, though, with lots of falls coming in from slips on the remnants of mud dotted around the site. Most of the mud is drying out though and James reckons the surface underfoot is a bit like walking on marshmallows!
The predicted rain didn’t arrive and the day was cloudy but hot and humid. The humidity hit antihistamine sales and James and the team found they were selling a general mixture of stuff. They did need to top up stocks of haemorrhoid cream though. I didn’t ask about suppositories!
Med Man's team were all new to Glastonbury Festival but have been converted. They’ve worked really hard but they’ve partied hard too! Favourites today included Tom Jones and Status Quo in the afternoon.
Pharmacy gets its ‘plug’ in Madness’s House of Fun:
“box of balloons with the feather light touch . . . . .
This is a chemists! Not a joke shop!”
For Viv, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ performance "was like the impulse that brings lava breaking out of the earth's crust” but for me . . . . .
Oh! . . . Oh! . . . .Got to go! . . . Blur are onstage!!
Saturday brought Glastonbury some proper sunshine. Hurrah!
A lot of the damage was done though and it was still heavy going through the mud and puddles, which took a long time to dry up. Today was a glorious festival day, though, with the sunshine encouraging the crowds to investigate the Green Fields, Circus Fields and all the wonderful aspects of Glasto besides the music.
Although many are still in awe of Neil Young's set last night, today's programme is tremendous. Spinal Tap at the Pyramid Stage looked popular, but fans once again turned out to overfill the venue chosen for Rolf Harris. Viv reported that the Jazz World field was fuller than she’d EVER seen it with the audience pressed right up against the back hedges.
For me, I was really sorry to miss Bruce Springsteen joining The Gaslight Anthem on the John Peel Stage for a belting performance of The ’59 Sound. Saturday was always going to be pointing, though, to The Boss headlining the Pyramid Stage with the E Street Band.
The pharmacy at the medical centre was very busy but stocks seem to be holding out fine, with the top ups from Evercreech Pharmacy.
Swine flu was finally in the news today after two students and one child were sent home with symptoms, after being checked out by Medical Services. The medical centre looks like a military field hospital with ‘walking wounded’ everywhere. (With everybody in ‘mufti’ though).
Hazel was held by security today after being given the wrong wristband to come in the same pedestrian gate as other medical staff. She was released on time to make her shift OK.
With the sun out again, today was a busy day for the Med Man Pharmacy in the market area. I worked with James last year on his initial stock lists. Adding his own experience has paid off and they have succeeded in satisfying demands today.
The staff have been out loving the music and the experience but James has been tied to the shop. That’s OK ‘cos he’s the Boss. Well. The ‘other Boss!’
Rain is predicted for Sunday but hasn’t started yet.
Former drug smuggler, Howard Marks gives a talk this morning at The Glade. I’m just wondering if it would count as CPD? Once again though I’m most tempted by the main stage, with Status Quo, Tom Jones, Madness and Nick Cave. Later, even Glasvegas and Prodigy wouldn’t keep me away from Blur, though. I saw them at my first ever Glastonbury Festival in 1998. I recall slipping about in mud up to my knees, at the first festival to break the 100,000 fan barrier and also the first festival to have problems with trenchfoot!With rain predicted, it’s lucky the drainage is much better these days.
It would be nice to finish the festival with a bit of tradition and reminiscing. I mean Blur - not trenchfoot!
From the camp site, Viv could hear Bjorn Again kick off proceedings with ”Waterloo” . . .Were they having a laugh?
It was a fine start to Glastonbury despite the reference to the heavy rain! Much of Friday was very wet and the problems with mud are beginning...
The music cheered everyone up though and the crowds were dancing and singing along at all the main stages. Regina Spektor announced “There is no rain” and the Pyramid crowd believed her. The main stage continued to please the fans as it moved towards last night's headliner, Neil Young.
Viv took a chance to head off to see the Puppini Sisters this afternoon. They were brilliant! Amazing arrangements and they got one of her favourite songs in - Plastic Bertrand's "Ca Plane Pour Moi". Viv also reckoned they must have the best shoes in the field!
At the medical centre pharmacy the main staff rota kicked in with staff sporting this year's pharmacy t-shirt. Very pretty it is too! After all my trouble sorting out last years “This is RocknRoll” t-shirts, I do have to say well done!
Problems have included sorting out festival goers who found themselves without prescription medicines as a result of overzealous security on the way onto the Glastonbury site.
The most popular ‘drug of abuse’ here is alcohol and for many youngsters it one of the first opportunities to overdo it. One 15 year old was found under the influence in the Jazz World field in the early hours. He was taken by ambulance to Ivy Meads medical centre to sleep off his first extreme alcohol experience.
After a busy day, James and the Med Man pharmacy team in the market were relaxing when I spoke to them early in the evening. The sun was out (YES!) and they had the chance to watch the amazing crowds who were dressing for Glastonbury (or in one case, undressing for Glastonbury!) Since everybody had their wellies on, blister plasters got top sales again.
As a registered pharmacy, the market pharmacy cannot avoid its triage function. Today the pharmacist rushed a child to the doctors at the nearby first aid post. A wasp flew into her mouth and repeatedly stung her as she swallowed it.
The market pharmacy is open from 8am to around midnight. Fewer staff numbers mean less time off to see the bands but there are some treats in store again on Saturday! The obvious choices might be Spinal Tap, Kasabian and, of course, Bruce Springsteen at the Pyramid Stage. Elsewhere Pete Doherty, Paulo Nutini, Franz Ferdinand, Pete Tong, Jarvis Cocker, The Wonder Stuff and many others should all be great.
I think the special one to catch will be the Stereo MC’s headlining in The Glade. What a tremendous idea!
It’s Saturday morning now. It doesn’t look very bright but there’s NO sound of rain on canvas!
After a quiet nightshift, the morning saw the first showers at this year's festival. It cleared up though and the warm weather brought people back to the pharmacies, continuing a strong demand for antihistamines, allergy eyedrops and, of course, sun lotions.
Patients also arrived at the medical centre with asthma exacerbation, cuts, burns and sunburn. Blister plasters start to fly off the shelves as normally pampered feet are challenged by the hilly terrain and sheer distances festivalgoers cover as they move about the 1,100 acre site.
Some of the music started today but only in a few of the bars. The massive crowd jammed up the area around the Queen's Head, blocking a main route through the festival and providing an obstacle to ambulances and emergency services trying to get through to casualties on other parts of the site. Once again the different medical disciplines start to work together as a team and Viv and the other pharmacists enjoy renewing old friendships with the medics.
The weather is unstable and the predicted thunderstorms arrived, bringing heavy rain to challenge not only the campers but the medical centre too. All is well though. The pharmacy systems are up and running.
The pharmacy team have used the internet for medicines information and for outside communication for the past 10 years. FMS are now using the internet for communication between medical centres and Viv's request to the other medical centre for generic prescriptions was sent by Skype!
By the time Viv headed to bed around 6am it was clearly going to be a day for wellies. But the staff are all on site now and the pharmacy teams are ready to face the weekend. Follow Viv’s live updates and photos on Twitter.
Most of the 150,000+ crowd have arrived and are ready to see the bands. There are so many stages at Glastonbury Festival that you might expect to find yourself having to make some tough decisions on who to watch and where. Once you relax and accept that you cannot be in two places at once, you find other ways of prioritising. Basing your decisions on where your friends are, or what the buzz in the crowd is, will lead you to see some amazing entertainment and you can always catch up on that ‘other’ band next year.
2008 found me at the main stage more than any festival in the previous 10 years. The main stage might be a good place for Friday this year, starting with Bjorn Again at eleven in the morning, leading through the day to an evening with Lily Allen, followed by The Specials, and finishing with Neil Young. The choice is yours though. It’s all Rock 'n' roll.
On Wednesday morning, with two days until the main stages fill the valley with music, the gates open to let the paying public in to Glastonbury Festival 2009.
Huge queues had already formed at the main gate for the 8am opening, but the pharmacies were stocked, manned and open for business. Out of a team of twenty, Elly drew the first shift at the Medical Centre Pharmacy with Phil and Michelle who’d put in lots of preparation for the event.
James managed to make it back before curfew so Med Man Pharmacy was open and ready for trade in the market at 8am too.
Trade was steady in both pharmacies during the day with the expected demand for antihistamines, cromoglycate eyedrops, and sun lotions. By evening though, the festival site was filling up rapidly and the crowd starting its first tours of the markets to find out what was available this year.
Everything depends on the weather. Wednesday's sales were because it was sunny, dry and dusty. Thursday is expected to be the same so may be the first big day for the pharmacies.
However, despite the beautiful red sky in the west tonight, there are clouds on the horizon. Thunder storms are forecast which MAY hit Glastonbury from Friday on, and could possibly last for the rest of the weekend.
But what would Glastonbury be without the threat of rain? I hope everybody has remembered their wellies!
With no music on Wednesday, and only a little in the bars on Thursday, Glastonbury Festival is filled with many thousands of people who have nothing to do except relax and drink. Most people arechilled but some will provide the pharmacies with the chance to sort out the first festival hangovers.
But for now, it is dry. The sunset is beautiful. Chinese lanterns float in the sky to the sound of tonight's first Mexican cheer rolling around the valley.
Monday and Tuesday have been spent getting both pharmacies ready for the influx of festival-goers at 8am on Wednesday. The Pharmaceutical Inspector has inspected both pharmacies and is satisfied that Glastonbury 2009 will have professional pharmacy provision. Both sites will face other festival inspections over the next few days.
After many years of us asking, Glastonbury Festival has finally included both pharmacies in their official information, with some details of services provided.
The market pharmacy now has a first aid post nearby. This may be good for OTC medicine provision but may also mean people presenting prescriptions at the wrong pharmacy. Signposting opportunity!
As in previous years, prescriptions (private and NHS) will be dispensed by the pharmacy in the medical centre. The market pharmacy will concentrate on providing for self-medication with a full range of the products people will want this weekend.
Although the pharmacies are now run independently, teamwork is already happening where needed and discussions have already taken place to establish supplies of Tamiflu. . . . . just in case!
Festival Information have includedinfo and advice on swine flu from NHS in Somerset. Symptoms can include fever, lethargy, joint pains, lack of appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Since these are symptoms which many experience at various times during ALL Glastonbury Festivals, the medics may have their work cut out for them!
The Med Man pharmacy is set up in I Market and this years team of 8 will arrive over the next few days. There will be up to three staff on duty as needed. The medical centre has full manning for the pharmacy.
Viv has been meeting up with medical and pharmacy arrivals, having a wander around the site before the crowds arrive and is already posting great observations and pictures on Twitter.
With an 8pm security curfew last night, Viv had to rescue Elly. No-one could rescue James Powell who got stuck in traffic. A cool but clear starry night finished the day with a shooting star for Viv.
A few days to Glastonbury 2009 and I find myself reflecting on events and changes of fortune since last year. So what’s happening this year?
Well, Phil Allan of Evercreech Pharmacy has now officially taken over dispensing for the Ivymead Medical Centre. I am still in touch with many of our team and I know quite a few have volunteered to work for Phil. I’m happy that they are still getting to experience the buzz of doing Pharmacy at the Glastonbury Festival.
As well as Viv’s reports on Twitter and her MySpace blog, we will be getting anecdotes and information from others on the pharmacy team, the medical services team and some of the punters!
James Powell of Medicine Man Pharmacy asked me to be on the team again this year. At the time I had to turn him down due to ill health. When I contacted him recently he was still keen to have me there and I agreed to join the team dependent on a ticket becoming available.
For the first time, it appears Glastonbury has made no concessions in view of the desirability of a pharmacy in the market area. Although the usual position in I market has been granted, James is being charged this year for both the site and for every member of staff. The charge has been calculated as for other market stalls, only on the potential profitability of the site.
Special requests to add me to the team were turned down and I now know for sure that I will NOT be going this year. I will remain in touch with James and others and will discuss this year's fortunes on these webpages.
The blog takes on a different shape in 2009 following the news that Jim and Tony are not providing the pharmacy service at the event. Instead, this year's updates will come from Viv Youell, who has worked with the team in the past and will be part of the Ivymeads Medical Centre. Viv has been qualified 20 years this year and is currently a specialist mental health locum although she has worked in community, prison service, private and NHS hospitals. She will be sharing her thoughts and pictures via Twitter, with supporting posts provided by Jim.
Viv was in the crowd at the stone circle for the sunrise. At dawn she observed that “The end of an inspiring day meets the beginning of a very, very long day!” She does get back to the tent for a couple of hours sleep but doesn’t know how she’ll get any more before her last shift at midnight.
Hazel was held by security today after being given the wrong wristband to come in the same pedestrian gate as other medical staff. She was released on time to make her shift OK.
At the medical centre pharmacy the main staff rota kicked in with staff sporting this year's pharmacy t-shirt. Very pretty it is too! After all my trouble sorting out last years “This is RocknRoll” t-shirts, I do have to say well done!
Glastonbury