We provide a range of high quality, professional pharmacy services at our hospitals across London. Our services include:
The department works closely with the Department of Pharmacy at the University College London and we are looking to develop joint approaches to research and teaching through the Academic Health Science System of UCL Partners.
We support a very large programme of clinical trials, and our growing cohort of consultant pharmacists also conduct independent research. We undertake clinical pharmacy training and co-ordination, and a number of pharmacists of varying grades teach undergraduates and postgraduates at the school and on the wards. We teach supplementary prescribing to nurses and pharmacists at City University and are involved in the International MSc in Pharmacy.
We have a large number of specialist pharmacists with experience in audit, drug evaluation and drawing up prescribing guidelines, formularies and shared care policies. Pharmacists run several outpatient clinics including anti-coagulation, high-risk medicines, neurology, cardiology, HIV and hepatology. In addition to our centralised service, the department has adopted a model of patient-centred pharmacy – whereby pharmacists are based on the ward, generally supported by ward-based clinical pharmacy technicians.
We have a specialist pharmacy team for patients with HIV attending the HIV Service.
The Trust has six dispensaries and a supply service that is co-ordinated from central stores at The Royal London Hospital (Medicines Distribution Unit), Whipps Cross University Hospital and Newham University Hospital. We are moving towards technician-led organisation of these functions. Automation and a robotic storage system have helped to smooth the workflow and have resulted in faster work turnaround. Patients can receive free pharmaceutical advice.
A Homecare Medicines Service is the delivery of certain hospital prescribed medicines directly to your home or other suitable location. If appropriate you may be offered a homecare service for your medicines which will be ordered by the clinical team looking after you. In most cases this will mean your prescribed medicines are delivered directly to your home by a trusted homecare provider. For some it may also involve some level of care taking place in your home administered by a healthcare professional.
The Homecare Medicines Patient Charter.pdf (229KB) will provide you with information on homecare medicines services. It will include the steps you will go through and what you can expect if you are new to homecare. It will also explain to you your rights and responsibilities, in line with the NHS constitution principles.
We work closely with local commissioners. Joint formularies are being developed and we play an active role in the North-East London Medicines Management Network (NELMM).
The Medicine Information service provides information and advice on all aspects of drug therapy to health care professionals working in the Trust’s hospitals. The service is free from commercial bias and can also be used by members of the general public.
Our Patient Helpline operates from The Royal London and patients can speak to a pharmacist for any queries regarding their medicines between the hours of 9am until 5pm on: 0208 535 6971.
A pharmacist visits the wards every day to advise on prescribing and speak with inpatients about their medicines.
Production – we have a fully licensed preparative services department, based at The Royal London, making total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and sterile manufactured items. We have expanded our centralised intravenous additive service both within our hospitals and to patients at home.
The licensed production unit can help external customers, such as community pharmacists, with the supply of formulations that are not commonly available. Chemotherapy doses and injectable medicines for clinical trials are prepared at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
Quality control – this service can help with problems requiring the analysis of medicines or raw materials. A medical gas testing service is provided and the department is responsible for co-ordinating drug recalls initiated by the Committee on Safety of Medicines.
If your hospital doctor prescribes new or different medication, he/she will either write and inform your GP (who will give you a prescription) or give you a prescription to take to the hospital pharmacy.
Find your closest pharmacy by visiting the NHS Choices website.
Will I have to pay for my medication?
The standard prescription fee will be charged unless you are exempt from charges. If you are exempt, please provide proof – for example, an exemption certificate. Hospital pharmacy prescriptions are not valid for dispensing by your local community pharmacist and you should therefore collect your prescription items before you leave the hospital.
I am an overseas visitor – will I have to pay for my treatment?
Yes, the NHS charges patients from overseas, unless they are exempt. Clinic staff or the Paying Patients Office, on tel: 020 3465 5028, who can advise you about this.
Where can I find out more about charges?
There is more information available regarding NHS charges, exemptions and pre-payment options by visiting the Department of Health or NHS Choices.
