Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust & Boots UK: Outpatient Medicines Partnership
About the Partnership
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust is proud to work in partnership with Boots UK aimed at improving how outpatients receive their prescribed medicines. By joining forces, we are able to offer patients greater flexibility and convenience. This initiative is designed to reduce waiting times, enhance patient experience, and make the collection of outpatient medicines easier than ever before.
Opening hours:
Monday-Saturday: 08:00 to 20:30
Sunday and Bank Holidays: 09:00 to 18:00
Easter Sunday & Christmas Day 10am to 4pm
Location:
Boots Outpatient Pharmacy
Ground Floor, Purple Zone
Location no.5
This store stocks a small range of essential over-the-counter medicines and toiletries. For a wider range of items, Boots.com purchases can be made in store.
All outpatients’ prescriptions must be dispensed at Boots located opposite the Outpatients Department at East Surrey Hospital. These prescriptions are not valid at any other Boots store or community pharmacy.
Boots East Surrey Hospital cannot dispense medicine for the following prescriptions. Please take these to a retail pharmacy:
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prescriptions from your doctor that are on a green (FP10) form
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prescriptions from your GP
What is the homecare medicines service?
The Homecare Medicines Service supports delivery of high-cost or specialist medicines directly to patients’ homes, often for long-term conditions such as rheumatology, neurology, and gastroenterology
The homecare medicines service may also include:
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the delivery of other items, if required, such as needles and syringes
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the delivery of equipment, if required, such as a pump
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nurse home visits to train you how to administer your medicine
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for some medicines, visits from a nurse to administer your medicine
Your hospital team will continue to be fully responsible for the clinical aspects of your care.
Who will provide my medicines?
The homecare providers we use are trusted private companies who are not part of the NHS and who can demonstrate years of experience in providing high quality homecare medicines services. The actual homecare provider we use will vary depending on which medicine or treatment you are receiving, and, in some instances, we may need to change your provider with little or no impact to you.
Confidentiality
Homecare providers are bound by the same confidentiality rules as NHS staff and must comply with the Data Protection Act 2018.
How will a homecare medicines service benefit me?
Delivery: Your medicines will be delivered directly to either your home, or other safe place of your choice at regular intervals.
Time saving: You will spend less time at the hospital when you come for your appointments as you will not have to wait for your medicines to be dispensed. You must still continue to attend your hospital appointments so the doctor can monitor your treatment and continue to prescribe your medicine. Missing these appointments could lead to your medicine supply being interrupted.
Holidays: You will be able to plan your homecare deliveries to fit around your holidays. If you are planning to go away you can request to have your medicines delivered to an alternative address in the UK or change the delivery date. You will need to inform the homecare provider and the hospital specialist/pharmacy team.
What are the delivery options?
You can discuss different options with the homecare provider when they first contact you.
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Medicines are delivered in plain packaging.
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Vans are unmarked so that no one except you knows what is being delivered.
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You can nominate someone else to accept the delivery for you.
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Sometimes it is possible to arrange delivery to a community pharmacy or other local collection point – you can discuss the options with the homecare provider (contact details overleaf).
If you miss the pre-arranged delivery it will be returned to the homecare company’s depot and you will need to contact them to schedule re-delivery.
What if I have a problem, who should I contact?
It is important that you know who to contact if you have a problem.
You should contact the homecare provider if:
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You have a query around your delivery
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The delivery has not come when you expected it to.
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You would like to change the agreed delivery date or time.
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You are running low on medication and have not been contacted by the homecare provider to arrange a delivery.
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You would like to make a complaint about the homecare provider.
You should contact the medical team if:
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You feel your condition is getting worse.
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You experience an unexpected side effect.
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You want to discuss your condition and/or your treatment.
You should contact your pharmacy homecare team if:
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You are unable to get through to your homecare provider to arrange a delivery.
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You would like to discuss details of your medication.
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You would like to make a complaint about your homecare medicines service.
Please note, it can take up to 4 weeks for service to be set up for new patients from the date that paperwork is received by Pharmacy Homecare Team.
It is important that you attend for blood tests and clinical reviews to prevent any delays to your treatment.
Complaints and Incidents
Please fill out the form below with as much information as possible to assist our investigation.
Our team of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and assistants are responsible for ensuring the best use of medicines for you and that the medicines you receive during your inpatient stay are available, safe and effective.
Our pharmacists may be part of your ward round team and several have a higher qualification that allows them to prescribe medicines. We also have a strong “behind the scenes” team which ensures availability, quality and cost-effective use of medicines at SASH.
When you are admitted
We check that the medicines prescribed for you safely reflect those you were taking before admission. We do this by talking to you, looking at the repeat prescription or medicines you brought in, and if necessary, with your permission, we will contact other people such as your GP or community pharmacist. We also check that any medicines that you usually take at home, which are not currently prescribed on your chart, are being intentionally withheld or stopped by the doctors looking after you.
During your stay
Pharmacists regularly screen your in-patient medication chart. Screening means that we check that the medicines prescribed for you are at the correct doses for you and do not interact with each other. We then monitor your treatment to make sure that that it is suitable for you. We are available to discuss with you if you think you may be experiencing any side effects and check any blood tests you might need. We can also advise you about any new medicines you start.
When you are discharged
Pharmacists will clinically screen your discharge prescription and then order any medicines you need to take home with you from our inpatient dispensary. We will ensure that you have at least two weeks’ supply of your medicines (unless a shorter course is needed) such as with antibiotics. A copy of your prescription is then sent to your GP for information.
If necessary, with your permission, we will also speak with your local community pharmacist, especially if you have a weekly dosette dispensed for you by them.
It is important that you feel confident about any new medicines you have started during your inpatient stay. We will ensure that an information leaflet is included in all medicines we dispense for you. Additionally we provide you with a MaPPs leaflet which summarises the most important information about medicines that are new for you.
Pharmacy medicines helpline
If you have any questions about your medicines once you get home from hospital, please contact the Pharmacy Medicines Helpline on 0808 281 0188.
We can help you with:
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Discuss any changes made to your medications during hospital
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When and how to take your medicine
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Taking other medicines at the same time
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Managing side effects
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Obtaining further supply of medicines
Our opening hours are:
Monday to Friday: 8:30am – 5pm
Saturday to Sunday: 9am – 4pm (limited service including bank holidays).
If your question is not urgent and is outside of these hours, please leave us a voicemail with your name and contact number and we will call you back the following day. Or you can drop us an email at: sash.
Other pharmacy services
There is a lot that goes on in our hospital pharmacy. Find out more by visiting our outpatients services page.
Considering a career as a pharmacist? Visit the working for us page to find out what it’s like the work in the SASH pharmacy.