Pharmacy

There are pharmacies based at City Hospital, Sandwell Hospital and the Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre. The pharmacies dispense medicines for:

• patients admitted to hospital,
• patients who attend our Day Case Units,
• patients admitted to our other facilities including Rowley Regis Hospital and Leasowes Intermediate Care Facility
• out-patients who attend our outpatient clinics.

The hospital pharmacies are only able to dispense Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust prescriptions (these hospital prescriptions cannot be dispensed in Community Pharmacies). Similarly prescriptions that are dispensed in Community Pharmacies cannot be dispensed in hospital pharmacies.

[FP10 prescriptions are dispensed by Community Pharmacies. FP10 prescriptions are the prescriptions usually issued by your GP. Some patients may be given a FP10 prescription when they attend an out- patient clinic at the hospital and these should be taken to a Community Pharmacy].

Our Hospital Pharmacies DO NOT sell over the counter medicines or other items.

The hospital pharmacies are open Monday to Friday and provide a full range of services.

At weekends and Bank Holidays the Pharmacy Service is reduced. The Pharmacy Service at these times is provided by a small team and deals with urgent prescriptions / requests and newly admitted patients.

The opening times of our Pharmacies are below:

For more information about disabled access for this service, please click here.

The drugs contained in the formulary of Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust are listed below.

NICE considers that the benefits of a local formulary include

• improving patient outcomes by optimising the use of medicines;
• supporting the inclusion of patient factors in decision-making about medicines;
• improving local care pathways;
• improving collaboration between clinicians and commissioners;
• improving quality by reducing inappropriate variations in clinical care;
• improving quality through access to cost-effective medicines;
• supporting the supply arrangements of medicines across a local health economy;
• supporting financial management and expenditure on medicines across health communities;
• supporting prescribers to follow guidance published by professional regulatory bodies in relation to medicines and prescribing.

Drugs marked “On Formulary” are available for general use and may be prescribed by any prescriber in the Trust

Drugs marked as “Restricted” are available for use in restricted circumstances; they may be restricted to certain specialties, or for treating certain diseases, or for use when first-line treatment has not worked. Where clinically appropriate, prescribing of restricted drugs may be passed to primary care on the advice of a specialist.

Drugs marked “NICE-approved” are approved by NICE in a technology appraisal are available for use in the Trust.

All other drugs are available on Consultant request provided the request is authorized by a medical director or an officer of the Drug and Therapeutics committee.

Below is the link to the current Patient Formulary:

Patient Formulary

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust is committed to using antimicrobials effectively. We aim to prescribe appropriately to help slow the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and ensure that antimicrobials remain an effective treatment for infection.

Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them puts you and your family at risk

Taking antibiotics encourages harmful bacteria that live inside you to become resistant. That means that antibiotics may not work when you really need them. This puts you and your family at risk of a more severe or longer illness. Take your doctor or nurse’s advice when it comes to antibiotics.

Remember if you’re feeling unwell, antibiotics aren’t always needed

No one likes being sick and it’s especially upsetting when your child is ill.

How to look after yourself and your family:
If you or a family member are feeling unwell, have a cold or flu and you haven’t been prescribed antibiotics, here are some effective self-care ways to help you feel better:

• Ask your pharmacist to recommend medicines to help with symptoms or pain.
• Get plenty of rest.
• Make sure you or your child drink enough to avoid feeling thirsty.
• Fever is a sign the body is fighting the infection and usually gets better by itself in most cases.
  • You can use paracetamol if you or your child are uncomfortable because of a fever.
• Make sure to use a tissue for your nose and wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading your infection to family and friends.

How long should my symptoms last for?
Here are a few guidelines to help you judge how long some common illnesses and symptoms should last for:

If you’re not starting to improve by these guide times, contact your GP or call NHS 111.

These symptoms are possible signs of serious illness and should be assessed urgently:

1. If your skin is very cold or has a strange colour, or you develop an unusual rash.
2. If you feel confused or have slurred speech or are very drowsy.
3. If you have difficulty breathing. Signs can include:

• breathing quickly
• turning blue around the lips and the skin below the mouth
• skin between or above the ribs getting sucked or pulled in with every breath.

4. If you develop a severe headache and are sick.
5. If you develop chest pain.
6. If you have difficulty swallowing or are drooling.
7. If you cough up blood.
8. If you are feeling a lot worse.

If you or your child has any of these symptoms, are getting worse or are sicker than you would expect (even if your/their temperature falls), trust your instincts and seek medical advice urgently from NHS 111 or your GP. If a child under the age of 5 has any of symptoms 1–3, go to A&E immediately or call 999.

When antibiotics are needed

Antibiotics are needed for serious bacterial infections including:

• Sepsis
• Pneumonia
• Urinary tract infections
• Sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhoea
• Meningococcal meningitis

If you’re worried, speak to a doctor who will be able to advise you on the best treatment for your symptoms.

Remember never share antibiotics or keep for later use. For more information on antibiotics visit www.nhs.uk/keepantibioticsworking

Become an Antibiotic Guardian and protect yourself, your family and friends against the spread of antibiotic resistance. Join us at antibioticguardian.com