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Current waiting times (average) Emergency Dept. (A&E): 48 minutes Emergency Dept. (children): 0 minutes Learn more about our waiting times
 

Pharmacy Technology

The Pharmacy department at St. Mary’s Hospital has an ambitious vision for the use of technology to streamline Pharmacy services and provide real-time accurate patient level information to our service users. The main development in Pharmacy has been the introduction of robotics. We use the Mach4 Medimat as well as various Kardex vertical carousels all linked into the JAC medicines management system. This has helped to streamline the process of picking orders and significantly reduced picking errors. In addition it has improved the accuracy of our stock levels, meaning that formulary items should be available on the same day and patients are issued the correct medicines.

We have launched electronic prescribing and medicines administration (EPMA). This has revolutionised the way that medicines are managed in the Trust. All areas (with the exception of Maternity, Children’s and ICU) are now live. This has led to a completely paper-free ward and dispensary environment, with orders being communicated to the pharmacy team as they are prescribed. We have seen an improvement in Pharmacy turnaround times as well as the length of time drug rounds take. This allows us to calculate patient level costings easier.

We have recently introduced the Omnicell electronic medicines cupboards. These require a user to enter their credentials and then select a product. The system will only allow them to access that product and this then reduces the possibility of picking errors at the ward level.

We have also integrated JAC into the ISIS system to facilitate a partly automated Discharge Summary as well as fully linking the Omnicell system with JAC. In terms of technology, St Mary’s Hospital can boast one of the most technologically advanced Pharmacy departments in the country with further developments being planned all of the time.

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