Our services

We are here to ensure all medication is used safely and delivered to the right person, in the right place, at the right time. We can provide you with high quality, expert advice.

Our services include:

• clinical ward based service
• dispensary
• outpatient prescriptions
• discharge medicines from hospital
• patient helpline/ medicines information
• technical (aseptic) services
• procurement and stores
• homecare service

Location

The Princess Alexandra Hospital
Zone B, ground floor, location B24

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9am - 5pm

Wednesday: 9.30am - 5pm

Weekends and Bank Holidays: we do not offer outpatient pharmacy services during these times. Our emergency service is only for urgent inpatient requests and discharge prescriptions. 
Contact 

Prescription queries: 01279 82 7052

Patient helpline: 01279 827054

(Medicines information, advice and support on medicines received at the hospital)

Ward based service 

Our ward-based pharmacy team works with our doctors and nurses to make sure you receive the right medication, at the right time and in the right doses. We also ensure that any newly prescribed medication is safe to give in combination with existing medication you may be on. We will explain to you when your medicines have been prescribed and how best to take them.
Dispensary

The dispensary team dispense and check all medicines for prescribed at The Princess Alexandra Hospital and our other local hospitals. Our team of dispensers, technicians and pharmacists work hard to safely turn prescriptions around as quickly as possible.

Outpatient prescriptions

While you are receiving care as an outpatient you may be prescribed specific medicine to help your treatment. We can only dispense medicines that have been prescribed on our white outpatient prescription slips. If you have been given a green prescription (FP10), this will need to be taken to any outside pharmacy who can dispense this for you.

Discharge medicines 

When you are discharged from hospital, we will ensure you have at least seven days’ worth of medication when you go home. In some cases, your specific course of medicine can only be obtained from hospital and we will make sure you have these before you leave. We will supply your GP with a copy of the prescription you have been discharged with. Further supplies must be arranged by your GP.

Patient helpline and medicines information

We have a helpline where you can ask any questions about the medications you have been given. Please do contact us if you have any concerns or questions, especially about the type of medication and formulation you have been prescribed, how it works or if you are experiencing any side effects that are causing you to worry. You can contact us on 01279 82 7054.

Technical (aseptic) services

Our technical services team are responsible for preparing chemotherapy for our cancer patients, Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) for patients who are unable to eat, and any other medication that needs to be prepared in an aseptic environment. We also dispense clinical trial medication and work closely with our research doctors and nurses.

Homecare service

We work with our partners to provide a home delivery service of certain medications. If this can be offered to you, your doctor or nurse will discuss this with you during your hospital appointment. These medicines can be ordered by the hospital and delivered directly to your home by an approved homecare provider. For further information, please refer to the information pack and patient charter below.

Formulary

The Hospital Formulary is a list of medicines that are routinely stocked by the Princess Alexandra Hospital pharmacy department, which have been approved for prescribing within the hospital by our Medicines Optimisation Programme Board consisting of hospital representatives and West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (WECCG).

The main aim of the formulary is to ensure that there is a consistent approach to prescribing the most effective, safest and cost effective medications within the trust. 

PAH Trust Medicines Formulary March 2024