Indecent exposure: Police investigating reports of serial pharmacy flasher
A man asked for a private consultation with pharmacy staff before exposing himself on three separate occasions, Northumbria Police told C+D.
Officers are investigating after a man was reported to have flashed pharmacy staff in three different pharmacies across the North East, Northumbria Police told C+D today (September 22).
The first incident happened on July 26, when it was reported that a man entered a pharmacy on Brookfield Terrace in the Pelaw area of Gateshead between 12:30pm and 1pm, the force said.
“After requesting a private consultation and being taken to a private room”, he “reportedly exposed himself”, it added.
According to local police, a man also went to a pharmacy on Station Road in the Forest Hall area of North Tyneside the next day at around 2:30pm and “asked to speak to a member of staff in confidence” before allegedly exposing himself to them in a private room.
And the next week, on August 2, police said that “the same man…again exposed himself in a private room” in a pharmacy on Armstrong Road in Newcastle.
Northumbria Police said that “all three incidents are being treated as linked” and that it has identified a man pictured in an appeal related to the case.
Enquiries remain “ongoing” following the reports of “indecent exposure”, it stressed.
More time one-on-one with patients
It comes in the same week that a new “vision” report for the sector has recommended that pharmacies be commissioned to deliver five more essential services within the next five years.
The recommended services, which include a walk-in community pharmacist consultation service, would see pharmacists spending more time one-on-one with patients.
Pharmacies are already set to take on a more clinical role and provide prescriptions for seven minor illnesses including earache and UTIs without patients having to see their GP first under the common ailments Pharmacy First scheme announced by the government earlier this year.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact Pharmacist Support by emailing [email protected] or calling 0808 168 2233/0808 168 5133 for free
