Patients could pick up prescriptions from automated dispenser under new plans

The applicant hopes that the machine would mean reduced waiting times, prevent unnecessary journeys and be convenient for patients to collect medicines when they want

Plans for an automated prescription collection machine outside a health centre have been submitted to Fenland District Council. Permission has been sought to install a Pharmaself24 machine outside The Riverside Practice and the pharmacy on Marylebone Road in March.

If approved, it would allow patients to collect prescriptions from the dispensing unit at their convenience to reduce waiting times and improve pharmacy workflow. The application states that the collection point would allow the pharmacy to reduce the need for home deliveries, reducing its carbon emissions.

The application says: “The benefits to the customers are reduced waiting times, avoiding unnecessary journeys and allowing the convenience to collect medicines when they want (for example on their way to or from work, shift workers, carers and on Sundays etc). This is particularly useful for repeat prescriptions and working patients who are unable to collect prescriptions during opening hours.”

Pharmacy staff dispense the medicines as normal and then load the dispensed bags securely into the machine using barcode technology. To collect their prescriptions, patients would be notified that their prescription is ready and provided with a one-time-use-only PIN number, rather than any patient details, to collect the medicine.

According to the plans, it only takes a few seconds. The collection PIN numbers would be provided to the customers by SMS message.

The plans describe the Pharmaself24 as a self-contained, secure, vandal-resistant, machine. It would be fitted into the wall of the pharmacy and feature the business logo, a touch screen, credit card reader, and collection flap.

The collection flap is automatically locked when patients are not collecting the prescriptions and the machines have a capacity of up to 180 dispensing bags. The machine would not be loaded with controlled drugs including all Schedule 2 or Schedule 3 medicines that fall under the normal safe custody requirements.