Pharmacy
Here at West Suffolk Hospital Foundation Trust, we have a dynamic and growing pharmacy department. Our vision is for our patients to receive high quality care and to ensure a timely delivery of safe and effective use of medicines.
We have a highly dedicated and multiskilled team of staff who deliver a wide range of services, which allows us to support our hospital to deliver high quality care.
We also have Robot dispensing, which has streamlined not only our workflow, but also improved stock control, reduced waste and kept medicines in a secure and controlled environment.
Our services
Our highly trained pharmacy team delivers a wide range of services, which allows us to support our hospital to deliver high quality care 7 days a week.
The services we provide within the pharmacy department go beyond what you see when you collect your prescription. Find out more about the various services within our pharmacy department:
Clinical services are operated at ward level and are provided by clinical pharmacists and medicines management technicians to promote safe and effective use of modifications within the Trust. Each ward is visited daily, and then team fulfils the following duties: medicines management and taking a history of patient's medications; drug chart reviews and considering how drugs interact with each other; counselling patients on newly prescribed medicines in the ward environment; monitoring side effects; ordering medications for use during patient's hospital stay and in preparation for potential discharge.
Inpatient dispensary services ensure our inpatients receive medicines efficiently and safely. These services are supported by technicians and dispensary assistants who carry out a range of duties, including: processing medicine requests for inpatient use, prioritising urgent medicine requests and patients awaiting discharge; answering telephone queries from wards, doctors, nurses, and ward clerks requiring updates on medications being ready for collection; checking prescriptions prior to delivery or collection by the ward staff.
We dispense medication prescribed by the Trust's outpatient clinics. We receive these by electronic prescription service, and these are screened by the dispensary pharmacist. Charges may apply to patients. We also offer medication counselling and deal with a wide range of queries regarding medications from patients.
The medicines information team is a dedicated team of pharmacists based within the pharmacy department. They provide up to date medication information to healthcare professional and patients.
The pharmacy department takes part in clinical trials for use in the research of new medicines and the ways we can use existing medicines.
The Trust has a central ordering, invoicing, and administration point for the purchasing of all medicines that we use. The pharmacy department has a team overseeing the purchase of medicines at the best available prices and ensuring that a good supply is maintained. Procurement also notifies the pharmacy teams of any changes to medicine packaging, and of medicines that are not available or that have been discontinued.
The pharmacy and wards are kept well-stocked by the distribution department. Wards are visited regularly and their stock is topped up for nurses to use on drug rounds. The distribution team also provide a quick turn-around on urgent ad-hoc stock requests for wards outside of their regular top up of stock. Stock top-ups are also required for outside clinics and the hospice. These are delivered by a porter, put on transport or collected by the clinic staff.
The team within goods in receive stock ordered by the pharmacy department. They sort and file invoices for payment, put stock on to shelves, bulk storage or add it in to the robot dispenser, and complete all the relevant date checking.
Our pharmacy team
We have a variety of roles and staff members within our pharmacy team:
- Chief pharmacist – Alla Williamson
- Deputy chief pharmacist – Sam Holloway
- Technical operations manager – James Root
- Dispensary manager – Jayne Nice
- Procurement manager – David Beaumont
- Clinical trials and quality assurance – James Curtis
- Aseptic unit principal technician – Linda Davies
- Education and training senior technicians – Jo Seymour and Fiona Brame
- Pharmacists
- Pre-registered pharmacists
- Medicines management technicians
- Pre-registered pharmacy technicians
- Dispensers
- Dispensary assistants
- Administration assistants
Prescriptions and charges
We only dispense NHS prescriptions generated by your consultant or prescriber within the hospital setting. These are usually transmitted electronically to the pharmacy department for clinical screening by the dispensary pharmacist.
We do not dispense FP10 (green prescriptions). If these types of prescriptions are handed to you, you can have them dispensed from your local retail pharmacy. Our trained staff will counsel you on your medication, how to take it, how long to take it for, any special instructions and how to obtain further supply if needed.
Charges are applicable at the NHS standard rate. Private prescription charges are variable and will be determined at the point of dispensing. The pharmacy is a GPhC registered pharmacy and as such can dispense private prescriptions.
Some patients are eligible for help with the costs of their medication. You can pick up a leaflet from the outpatient dispensary or find out more here.
Your medication while in hospital
If you are coming into hospital, please bring your current medicines with you. This helps us to ensure you get a continuation of the right medicines whilst you are in hospital.
Please note, your GP will be notified of any changes to your medication.
Location
We are situated towards the rear of the hospital on the ground floor, and can be found on the right-hand side as you enter the rear entrance of the hospital.
Opening times
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Opening times
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Closing times
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Monday to Friday
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8.30am
8.45am (Wednesdays)
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6pm
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Weekends and Bank Holidays
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9am
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4pm
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Contact details
- Outpatients dispensary: 01284 713111
- Inpatients queries: 01284 713232
Join our team
Are you interested in a career in pharmacy? Find out more about what it's like to work in the pharmacy team here, or view the current vacancies at our Trust here.
Patient information