Pharmacy and Dispensing

The pharmacy directorate at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust is a progressive and forward-thinking department which is well respected within the Trust. We work closely with the ICS (integrated care systems) to improve medicines optimisation across the interface. Pharmacists work with an experienced team of ward-based technicians to provide as part of the MDT (multidisciplinary team) a high standard of care for our patients.

We are leading the way in digital technologies utilising Ascribe (eMIS) Pharmacy Computer System with Electronic Medicines Management with an interface to the Cerner Millennium Electronic Patient Record system (EPR).

In a first of its type, we have implemented an electronic controlled drugs register solution (eCDR-Pro) into the Trust. Following completion of a successful pilot at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary it has been rolled out across the whole Trust. The pharmacy is now operating with fully digital records. eCDR-Pro provides a clinically safe solution saving nursing time in recording CD activities – such as accepting multiple orders into wards can be achieved in under 20 seconds.

Within the newly refurbished dispensary at Calderdale Royal Hospital we have recently installed a BD dispensing Robot funded by the Scan4Safety Programme which reduces dispensing time and errors.

The Pharmacy directorate leads on a nationally recognised discharge project which reduces discharge prescribing error rates and enables faster patient discharges by working closely with the discharge lounge, making sure the patients on there are prioritised to go home.

We employ a team of pharmacists and technicians to work within the multidisciplinary teams in the community in Calderdale to support patients in their own homes, intermediate care and residential/nursing care homes. 

We are helping patients/carers to manage their medicines more effectively resulting in a reduction in readmission to hospital. The pharmacy directorate has strong links with the University of Huddersfield which provides a pharmacy undergraduate course. The directorate has pharmacy departments at, the Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. The following services are provided:

• An extensive clinical pharmacy service
• In-patient dispensing including clinical trials
• Outpatient dispensing – provided by Rowlands Pharmacy
• Aseptic dispensing services
• Medicines information
• Anticoagulant service
• Procurement and distribution of medicines

Pharmacists work closely with directorates within the Trust to help manage the safe and effective use of medicines. The Trust has a Medicines Management Committee which works with local Area Prescribing Committee (APC) to ensure that medicines are managed across the whole health economy to maximise safety, clinical and cost effectiveness.

We are working with Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust on a new model for Non-Surgical Oncology across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield, bringing together Non-Surgical Oncology Services from Mid Yorkshire Hospital Trust and Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust into a single network with the aim of improving resilience and ensuring equitable and seamless delivery and maintenance of high-quality care.

The pharmacy directorate employs a wide variety of staff:

• Pharmacists – who undertake clinical duties on the wards and in the pharmacy departments.
• Pharmacy technicians – who are involved in the dispensing of drugs and ward-based duties.
• Assistant technical officers – who are involved in dispensing and making sure that ward’s stocks of pharmaceuticals are maintained.
• Support services/administration staff – who support the clinical and technical staff and provide the pharmaceutical procurement service.

• Calderdale Royal Hospital - situated on the ground floor near the main outpatient department.
• Huddersfield Royal Infirmary - situated on the basement floor.

Further information about the pharmacy directorate can be obtained from:

• Clinical Director Of Pharmacy - Elisabeth Street 
• Deputy Director Of Pharmacy – Katherine Cullen

Click here to contact Pharmacy using their contact form.