A NEW pharmacy has opened at Basildon Hospital, providing a seven-day service to patients.

Run by Boots in partnership with Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the pharmacy is open seven days a week, saving patients the journey to local high-street pharmacies after their hospital appointment on Sundays.

It will also be open on bank holidays, except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Patients who receive a prescription in Basildon Hospital after an outpatient appointment or when they leave the Emergency Department can now receive their medication from the brand-new unit, which uses an in-store robot to help staff collect prescriptions.

Molly Mitchell, from Chelmsford, was one of the first patients to visit the pharmacy, following an appointment at the hospital.

She said: "Compared to the old pharmacy, this is a better space which looks nicer. I think this is much needed, there's more choice of things to buy, and once I ordered my prescription at the counter I didn't have to wait long as there was a really quick service."

The pharmacy has faced growing demand, with 100,000 items prescribed over the past year, an average of 2,100 per week.

Evelyn Allen, Chief Pharmacist at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The new outpatient pharmacy is larger and brighter in an area that was purposefully designed for it, which will help us to handle the rise in prescriptions. Patients will find it a more convenient experience, and through our partnership with Boots there will also be everyday items that visitors and staff can purchase.

"This milestone in our Trust's pharmacy service wouldn't have been possible without the hard work of those involved in making it happen – so my thanks to all of them."

The new pharmacy has moved from its previous location in the hospital's outpatient department, which did not open on Sundays or Bank Holidays. It is a continuation of the Trust's partnership with Boots, who have run the outpatient pharmacy at since 2016.

Ashley Littlewood-Miller, Hospitals Manager at Boots, said: "I am delighted to see the new Boots outpatient store open today, there has been months of work for teams across the Trust and within Boots leading up to today and I would like to thank everyone involved for their time and efforts.

"The service provided here to patients is key to supporting the Trust's work to improve patient access to outpatient medication. I am excited to see our partnership with the Trust continue to develop and I hope the team enjoy their brand-new store."

The opening of the new pharmacy was celebrated with a cake and a welcome by staff from Boots and the Trust.