Friends Fund New Medicine bags for Pharmacy £2,628.00

Rachel Hartup, Pharmacy Operational Manager let us know how the bags have enhanced the excellent service provided by Pharmacy at St Mary’s…..

The bags which were funded by the Friends of St Mary’s  are to replace 20+ year old hard suitcase style medicine bags which are not only cumbersome to carry but are gradually failing with broken locks etc.

Restocking the old bags was a very time-consuming process, if the bag was opened/seal broken everything would have to be checked for stock levels and then double checked by an independent person for accuracy check, (pharmacy process)

This could take up to an hour per bag for restock and checking. These old bags could only hold so many lines due to capacity restraints and limited quantity of each product.

The new bags have allowed us to review the items stocked and increase, where needed, the quantity held. We have added extra medicines which the doctors requested for patient care while ensuring the guidelines were being adhered to.

This will enable patients needing antibiotics, for example, to be given the whole course without the need for a trip to the local pharmacy to complete the course or the doctor having to open a second bag. Improving the patient care we are able to provide.

As well as the patient care aspect we have been able to change the way the bags are packed.

The medicines are now in sealed pouches so the time to restock and check the bags will be drastically reduced, enabling time to be released for other duties within the pharmacy service.

Thank you to the Friends for funding the new Medicine Bags.