Pharmacy Services
The Pharmacy team is committed to making your patient journey as stress free as possible. The primary role of the pharmacy department is to care for patients by providing the right medicines, ensuring their best use and providing information and advice about medicines to both patients and to the healthcare professionals who treat them. There are, however, a few things about your journey we would like to make you aware of so you know what’s going on behind the scenes.
Dispensing services
Ward pharmacy services
During your stay in hospital a member of the pharmacy team will visit the ward each weekday. You may see technicians and pharmacists on the ward.
The pharmacist will check through the medication that you have brought with you and ask you questions about your regular prescriptions. You will also be asked about any medicines which you buy over the counter, including complementary remedies and vitamins. Having an accurate and detailed list of the medicines you are taking before your hospital admission helps us to advise on changes to your medicines and to be alert for adverse effects or interactions. It is important that you bring in your regular medicines which must be in their original container.
The ward pharmacist will refer to the medication history and discuss any concerns with the doctors who are responsible for your care. The pharmacist will ‘screen’ the prescription chart (often referred to as a ‘drug chart’) making sure that doses and dosage times are appropriate and checking for any drug interactions.
Inpatients
A dispensing service is provided from the inpatient dispensary to all inpatients (during admission and at discharge). When you leave hospital you will be supplied with three days worth of medication to take home, unless the consultant has indicated otherwise. All medicines supplied carry a minimum prescription charge which is currently £7.40.
Outpatients
A dispensing service is provided from the outpatient pharmacy (within the outpatient building) for patients attending our outpatient clinic. The pharmacy is also able to dispense prescriptions from other clinics / hospitals. We also have a shop which sells a variety of over the counter items with a wide range of vitamins.
Private Prescriptions
A private prescription service is available at our outpatient pharmacy.
What is a private prescription?
It’s a prescription that’s issued by your doctor, usually after a private consultation. If your doctor has written a private prescription then you’ll need to pay for the actual costs of the drugs you’ve been prescribed. The private prescription will normally cost the same amount regardless of where you take it; with our hospital discounts which are passed onto our customers our prices are very competitive. If you find the prescribed medicine cheaper elsewhere please let us know so we can ensure our prices remain as low as possible. The price will depend on the cost of your medication and the quantity you’ve been prescribed, but our dispensary team will be happy to calculate the cost for you – just ask. A minimum charge of £7.40 applies to all prescriptions. To get a quote or order your private prescriptions simply get in touch with our pharmacy on 020 8971 8000 (ask for outpatient pharmacy).
When you visit the hospital for an outpatient appointment please bring information about your current medicines with you. This can be in the form of a repeat prescription printout from your GP or a hand written list.
Patient guide – what to bring / how to prepare:
The nurse or doctor at the outpatient clinic may need to know the names, strengths and doses of:
- Medicines prescribed by your GP including eye drops, inhalers, creams, patches etc.
- Medicines that you buy ‘over the counter’
- Any complementary (e.g. herbal) medicines that you take.
- You should also tell the doctor or nurse if you have ever had an allergic reaction, or serious side effects, from any medicines.
If you are coming into hospital for treatment, please bring all your medicines with you. Whilst on the wards, they will be kept in a locked cabinet beside your bed. This enables us to continue your treatment without interruption. When you leave hospital your medicines will be returned to you and, if your own supply is running low, you must order a repeat prescription from your GP otherwise you may be charged for a re-supply, as your usual medication is usually not covered by your insurance.
Please bring your prescribed medicines in their original boxes or bottles. These will have a label printed with your name and dosage instructions on them, as well as an expiry date.
DON’T FORGET - ‘MEDICINES’ includes items like inhalers, eye drops, patches and creams.
Any other information
Generally we will dispense three days worth of treatment on discharge, unless there is a specified course length. If your treatment is to continue, you may obtain further supplies from your GP. Where the medicine you have been prescribed is only available from the hospital, we will continue to supply sufficient until you see your GP. We can only dispense private prescriptions, not NHS prescription forms.
Chief Pharmacist: Mr Dipak Vaidya
If you would like more information about our Pharmacy Services service, please get in contact with us by phoning 020 8971 8000 or use our contact page.
