Publish date: 25 May 2022
A new ‘satellite pharmacy’ has opened at the Stamford Unit, a community facility adjacent to the Tameside Hospital site, for the benefit of patients and staff.
Running from Monday to Friday and staffed with a comprehensive pharmacy team, the new facility will provide a much needed service for patients residing in the Stamford Unit. Previously, medications prescribed to patients had to be ordered and collected from the hospital pharmacy which is located on the opposite site of the hospital site, a good 10 minute walk from the Stamford Unit.
Speaking about the new service, Michelle Beecroft, Deputy Director of Pharmacy said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to offer this service to both our patients and our staff. The Trust were really supportive when we put the idea to them and explained what benefits this would bring to our patients’ experience. We have a pharmacy team based on site now at the Stamford Unit available to dispense medications much more efficiently.
“I have been involved right from the beginning of this project and it’s fantastic to see that the service is fully operational and having a positive impact”.
Antony Makepeace, Directorate Manager at the Stamford Unit added: “We have already seen the benefits this new service has brought to our patients – it is literally bringing the patients and their vital medication closer together. This is important for many reasons, two of which are: a speedier discharge so the patient can get home without delay and, of course, if there are any emergency medicine requirements, we can deal with that very quickly and efficiently without having to make a trip across the hospital site.”
The new service also includes an emergency cupboard for out of hours cover, which means that any medications required outside of normal working hours can be accessed at the Stamford Unit. In addition, communication between the pharmacy and the nursing staff at the Stamford Unit has also been improved significantly which is creating efficiencies for staff and patients alike.
Following the official opening of the new pharmacy, Peter Weller, Executive Director of Nursing and Integrated Governance said: “I am delighted to finally see the service officially open. From the moment the initial idea was first put the Trust, we could see what benefits this would bring for the patients and staff. It’s about listening to what our patients and staff are telling us and making these investments. These improvements create a better experience for our patients and our staff can work so much more efficiently. It’s a real win-win and I am delighted to have this service now open and to have had the pleasure of cutting the ribbon.”
