New pharmacy to '˜improve service' at Royal Lancaster Infirmary

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) said it is working in partnership with Lloyds Pharmacy to improve its outpatient dispensing services, management of medicine stock and ward level delivery.

The trust said this will provide enhanced levels of service to its patients, however the move has proved controversial for many who say it amounts to privatisation of NHS services.

New LloydsPharmacy units will also be provided at Furness General Hospital in Barrow-in-Furness and Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal.

The trust says the changes will mean an improved service for local people and staff, including reduced waiting times for outpatient prescriptions, the trust pharmacy team spending more time on the wards helping patients and reduced waiting times for medicines to take home.

The trust said it is also introducing a new stock management system in partnership with AAH (LloydsPharmacy’s sister company), which will reduce medicine stock holding, reduce wastage and increase efficiency to allow UHMBT staff more time with patients.

Kam Mom, chief pharmacist and accountable officer for controlled drugs at UHMBT, said: “My team and I are passionate about providing high quality pharmacy services to our patients, and the recent investment made by the trust really will help to make our services better for both patients and staff, seven days a week.

“By LloydsPharmacy working in partnership with the Trust, we will be able to focus on our patients on the wards.”

Jonathan Whiting, healthcare development manager at LloydsPharmacy Healthcare Services said: “We are passionate about enhancing patient experience and excited to be working collaboratively with the Trust to benefit patient satisfaction.”

The trust said it planned to have the new stock management system in all wards and departments by the end of October 2016.