A Pharmacy dispensing service has now been set up within the Outpatients Department of Walsall Manor Hospital so that patients can collect their medication much closer to the clinics they have attended.

This service has been set up in the area that was previously the Purple Hub, along the outpatients corridor, near to the main entrance of the hospital, and started on Monday 25 January.

Pharmacy Operations Manager, Nalini Patel, who has worked on this project over the last few months, described it as “a milestone for Pharmacy” and said it was a great achievement for Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust as it continues to work to make services as safe as possible throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

She explained: “Now we have an outpatient pharmacy situated within outpatients itself we can serve patients far closer to the clinics and this saves them quite a lengthy walk round to the other end of the hospital.

“This service enables us to dispense prescriptions in a more timely way whilst patients wait and it also gives them an opportunity to ask advice about their medicines. We believe that having the outpatient pharmacy will improve our patients’ experience, reduce numbers accessing the West Wing area of the hospital and creates better accessibility for outpatient staff.  It is a milestone for Pharmacy.

“We will continue to work closely with our nursing colleagues to dispense medicines for those patients who attend day case appointments as part of our developing plans.”

Nalini added: “We’d like to thank all trust colleagues who have supported Pharmacy to help us provide a more patient-centred service and integrate with the outpatient staff and I’d like to acknowledge the hard work of all the Pharmacy staff whose enthusiasm and commitment has ensured the successful setting up of this improved service.”

Patients have already passed on some positive feedback about the new provision. They have said:

“ Brilliant service, very quick , efficient and effective service, very helpful and polite”  

“ Great service, felt very safe and secure”

“Good professional service, approachable, very informative, efficient and polite”

The Outpatient Pharmacy is open from Monday to Friday, from 9am to  5pm, with the last prescriptions being received by 4.30pm.