Robot helps the medicine go down

A new 'pharmacy robot' unveiled at Bradford Royal Infirmary should cut dispensing errors and free up staff to support patient care.

Hospital bosses say the 130,000 robotic pharmacy will lead to improved safety and reduce the medicines bill. Director of pharmacy at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, David Smith, said: "As well as improving the speed at which medicines can be dispensed, the robot will also free up huge amounts of staff time which would otherwise need to be spent locating drugs by hand. This will mean our pharmacy staff can spend more time on the wards, improving the service we offer to our inpatients."

Mr Smith is seen above showing the High Sheriff of West Yorkshire Richard Clough the pharmacy robot in use. It memorises where it has stored drugs so it can retrieve them.

Picture: Tony Johnson.

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