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Two leading London hospitals are installing a pioneering new piece of equipment which will automatically order drugs to help free up time for medics to spend with patients.
In a major new £6m deal, the Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s College Hospitals will install new automated stock cabinets which will transform the supply of medicines.
Under the new system the cabinets will order new medicines and supplies as they are used by doctors and nurses.
It is hoped the system will free up more time for doctors to spend with patients and it will also actively manage stock levels by reducing orders to match demand, helping cut back on waste.
David Lawson, head of procurement at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “This project is a ground-breaking development in the NHS and has the potential to revolutionise the work patterns of clinical staff.
“Unlike some IT innovations, this has been welcomed by staff, who can see the benefits it has on their working days. Managers are also delighted as it provides them with an unprecedented level of cost control.”
The system will also enable the hospitals to chart the cost of providing care to individual patients for the first time.
Copyright PA Business 2008
