Sainsbury’s has today announced that it has signed a partnership with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to take over the management of the outpatient pharmacies at the two hospitals.
Mike Coupe, Sainsbury’s Group Commercial Director, said: “This is a very exciting partnership and we’re really looking forward to working with the Trust. We are confident that our extensive experience of running our own pharmacies, combined with the knowledge we have gained from managing the outpatient pharmacy in the James Cook University Hospital, means we will be able to deliver a great level of service for the NHS, Trust and wider community.”
“We are confident that patients will enjoy the benefits of Sainsbury’s managing the outpatient pharmacies. We plan on opening the pharmacies seven days a week and for longer hours. Alongside the outpatient facility Sainsbury’s will provide a full community prescription dispensing service.”
Ron Kerr, Chief Executive, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with Sainsbury’s to deliver our outpatient pharmacy dispensing services as we believe this will bring a number of benefits for our patients, as well as staff. The pharmacy services will be open for longer hours each day, and at Guy’s the new service will make it easier for patients attending the Urgent Care Centre to get their prescriptions dispensed before they leave the hospital. Staff and patients will also be able to buy a range of over the counter medicines and toiletries.
“Our pharmacy staff will work closely with Sainsbury’s to ensure the service meets the high quality standards that we all expect, and they will continue to provide the more specialist medicines that are needed by some of our patients, as well as medicines for patients on the inpatient wards”.
The opening of these pharmacies will help Sainsbury’s to meet its ambitious target of doubling its pharmacy revenues over the next three years.
Sainsbury’s has over 270 pharmacies at stores across Britain and earlier this year took over the management of the outpatient pharmacy at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. This was a first for Sainsbury’s, which up until then had concentrated on opening pharmacies solely in its supermarkets.
Alongside its pharmacies Sainsbury’s customers also benefit from nine NHS GP/nurse led surgeries at Newton Abbot, Sunderland, Heaton Park, Colne, Bath and Newcastle-under-Lyme, Ely, Coldhams Lane and Urmston stores. Ten stores also have private dentist surgeries.
Sainsbury’s stores Leeds White Rose and Ely also have concessions operated by MEE Worldwide Healthcare, offering hearing and ophthalmological services. Plans are in place to open a further five MEE concessions at stores acrossBritain
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