Hospital and Boots staff celebrated the re-design and refurbishment of Boots pharmacy at Kingston Hospital this week, which has increased its capacity to serve patients and upgraded the workspace for staff.

 For the 1,500 plus patients and their relatives who use the pharmacy each week, the reconfiguration has helped to reduce patient waiting times and pharmacy visits, whilst also improving accessibility and patient experience. 

 The redesign includes a new dispensary layout which has increased customer service points from two to five, enabled a more streamlined queue system which reduces patient waiting times and minimises congestion in the hospital corridor, and improved storage, security and confidentiality.  

 Patient feedback, collected by the hospital's patient experience team, said: "I had a serious eye problem which was diagnosed quickly and medication prescribed.

"All the staff I spoke to were very keen to help. The service at the pharmacy was first rate too. Overall, I was very impressed by every aspect of my visit."

 For the Boots pharmacy team, the new layout has improved the working environment and workflow, freeing up space for up to 20 staff to be on shift at any one time. Previously there was only space for seven staff. 

 Jahnavee Dave-Bhatt, Pharmacist Store Manager at Boots, said: "It's been a real boost to staff morale. Since the refurbishment we continually hit our prescription waiting time targets of 15 minutes and the working environment is so much better."

 Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust's Chief Pharmacist, Judith Foy, said: "We are thrilled by the pharmacy redesign and the major difference it has made to our patients and the Boots team, reducing our patient waiting times, and improving patient care, as well as staff wellbeing, retention and recruitment. 

"We are also delighted to announce a new contract with Boots from April this year and I look forward to working with the Boots team to work on new projects together to improve patient experience and clinical care."

Boots Pharmacy Team and Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust executive team (front row left to right):  Dr Bill Oldfield - Chief Medical Officer, Judith Foy - Chief Pharmacist, (middle) Boots Pharmacist Store Manager - Jahnavee Dave-Bhatt, CEO - Jo Farrar, Chief Operating Officer – acute Tracey Moore (Image supplied)

 Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for items dispensed from the hospital's pharmacy has increased by nearly 50%, from 7,000 to 10,000 items a month, placing increased pressure on the service and its capacity to meet the demand.

 The Boots pharmacy renovation started in early August 2024 and was completed at the beginning of September with the Boots team maintaining the service to patients throughout the refurbishment.