Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust (SASH) have this week announced the completion of its refurbishment to the Boots Outpatient Pharmacy at its East Surrey Hospital site.
Over the summer, the pharmacy has undergone a complete transformation, creating a more accessible and modern environment that provides a quicker patient-focused service to meet both current and future demand.
Changes to the service will ensure a greater focus on preparing medicines and providing healthcare advice, which will mean fewer queues. Any patients who need to wait will now be able to sit comfortably, thanks to the installation of new seating and screens in the pharmacy and the main entrance of the hospital, which show when their medications are ready to collect using an electronic prescription tracker.
A new consultation room has been built to provide a space for confidential conversations with a pharmacist, who can offer advice on medicines and minor ailments on the spot, giving patients quicker access to healthcare advice.
SASH is also preparing to introduce a new text messaging service to notify some of its patients when their medication is ready for collection, either from the Boots pharmacy in the hospital or an alternative, more convenient location, starting with patients who are on long-term oral anti-cancer treatments.
Andrew Hines, Chief Executive of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said:
"The improvements to our Boots Outpatient Pharmacy at East Surrey Hospital are a great step forward for our patients and this investment will go some way in supporting better patient experiences.
"The Trust is constantly striving to deliver the best possible care for our community across Surrey and Sussex, and this refurbishment is in line not just with that mission but also the NHS 10-year plan.
"The advancements coming from our new pharmacy text messaging service provide a switch from analogue to more digitalised services, taking care back into the community as patients access their medication from services that are closer to them."