A LEADING health reform expert this week came to East Lancashire to see the local hospital trust’s work to save cash on purchasing drugs and equipment.

Lord Carter of Coles visited the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and its Ward C6 to find out more about the Dedicated Ward Pharmacy service.

The East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is working together with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to create a joint procurement service

Jonathan Wood, director of finance at ELHT, said: “Collaboration is one of the key recommendations for procurement from ‘The Carter Review’ and we have made great progress in achieving this.”

Lord Carter said: “I’m very impressed by the way clinicians have worked with other members of staff to find truly innovative solutions to procurement and materials management. It’s an example to us all and we’re going to be working nationally to share that experience.”

Since 2015, dedicated ward pharmacy has seen pharmacists dedicated to a single ward, rather than covering many, to ensure the most effective choice of medicines for each patient and save doctors’ time.

Neil Fletcher, director of pharmacy at ELH Trust, said: “Lord Carter was impressed to learn that Dedicated Ward Pharmacy service has improved communication between pharmacy and the wards, which has led to better use of medicines, a reduction in readmissions and shorter lengths of hospital stay for our patients.”