East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust has opened a new pharmacy at Ipswich Hospital.
The new pharmacy dispenses medication for chemotherapy and radiotherapy patients and is in addition to the hospital's main pharmacy in Central Outpatients.
Funded by the Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity, the area on the Woolverstone Wing is dedicated to oncology, haematology and radiotherapy patients and is separate from the hospital’s main pharmacy in Central Outpatients.
The issue with using the main dispensary is the long walk to and from the treatment area. This makes a significant impact considering the effects of treatment on patients.
The dispensary is also situated directly below the ASEPTIC unit where IV and chemotherapy drugs are made for oncology and radiotherapy patients. It is also situated in between the Woolverstone Day Unit and Radiotherapy.
Courtney Howlett, Lead Pharmacy Technician for Clinical Services and Dispensary, said: “We hope the new dispensary will improve our patients’ experience, saving them time and stress that they may have encountered previously, having to wait in the main pharmacy.”
The location of the dispensary, which is open between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, also enables staff to have a better face-to-face interaction with patients and is spacious, away from the busier parts of the hospital.
Digital integration
Using MyChart, our new patient app, patients can also receive messages when their medication is ready, which will also save them time and reduce the stress that comes with waiting for their medication.
MyChart is a secure online service that allows patients to access their health information and manage their appointments. It is a patient portal created by the healthcare technology company Epic Systems.
What other work is being done at Ipswich Hospital?
In the last few years there have been major changes at the hospital.
The newly constructed 2-storey Urgent Treatment Centre and Emergency Department opened in September 2024, replacing the older facilities and streamlining urgent and emergency care.
In addition, the purpose-built Breast Care Centre has also been fully operational since January 2023, bringing imaging, screening and clinic services together under one roof to enhance patient experience.
Image: From left: Outpatient dispensary manager Leisa-Marie Travis; Alice Charles - Pharmacy technician (controlled drugs and governance); Pre-registration pharmacy technician Annie Smith; pharmacy technician Emily Southall, and lead pharmacy technician (patient services) Courtney Howlett, all wear green pharmacy uniforms.