Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust have installed two new robot dispensers to help patients get their medicines from their pharmacy quicker and more efficiently.  

Once a dispenser requests a certain medicine, the robots send it directly to them. The dispenser would then label, and double check it against the prescription before it is given to the patient. 

Later this year the team are also introducing electronic prescribing, meaning the pharmacy team can request medication from anywhere in the hospital, rather than going to collect paper prescriptions on our wards. 

Read more on the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust website. 

Medical drone in-flight (Credit: Apian and Wing)

Urgent blood samples are being transported across London – using drones. Transporting samples for high-risk patients between Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital can take more than 30 minutes by road. Now, using high-tech drones, this can be achieved in less than two minutes. 

The partnership between Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Apian and Wing has helped clinicians achieve quicker test results, enabling them to provide the best possible care – and get patients home sooner. 

This is just one powerful example of how digital innovation in healthcare is directly improving outcomes for patients. 

Read more on the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust website. 

Using a robot to dispense medication has created a smoother and more efficient process for patients and pharmacists at Junction Pharmacy in Brixton. 

The robot provides greater efficiency and accuracy for by automatically dispensing medications and managing stock, allowing staff to focus on providing patient care.   

Bhaveen Patel, Superintendent Pharmacist at Junction Pharmacy, said: “We have been here for just over 20 years now and this robot has been a game-changer.  

“It has helped us to streamline our workflow. We have become more efficient, and our staff have more time to focus on their patient facing roles.” 

Pharmacists have also been able to deliver additional services, including immunisations and vaccinations on-site helping to reduce GP and hospital waiting lists for these services.  

Caroline Clarke, Regional Director for the NHS in London, said: “As we shift our focus from analogue to digital, I’m proud that London is home to some of the most innovative services, pioneering new ways of using technology to deliver high quality and accessible care for everyone.” 

Read our press release on Digital innovation boosting NHS productivity in London.

A London-wide study led by Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Data Research, Innovation and Virtual Environments unit found that ambient voice technology can reduce admin burden for clinicians and improve the quality of face-to-face interactions between clinicians and patients.   

Thanks to the automated note taking, clinicians said they could give their full attention to their patients without risking the quality of their notes or letters. 

Dr Maaike Kusters, Paediatric Immunology Consultant, who took part in the trial at GOSH said: “The patients I see in my clinics have very complex medical conditions and it’s so important to make sure I capture what we discuss in our appointments accurately, but often this means I am typing rather than looking directly at my patient and their family.   

“Using the AI tool meant I could sit closer to them face-to-face and really focus on what they were sharing with me, without compromising on the quality of documentation.”   

The new 10 Year Health Plan encourages this kind of digital liberation for staff across the NHS, enabling technology to boost clinical productivity. 

See how AI is giving clinicians more face-to-face time with patients

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust have performed over 500 robotic operations for conditions including prolapse, heavy periods and incontinence, providing patients with quicker recovery times and better outcomes. 

A typical robotic surgery lasts between one and two hours depending on how complex the condition is. The surgeon operates from a console and controls the robot, supported by an assistant. 

Compared to traditional laparoscopic surgery, the robotic method offers greater precision for surgeons, especially for more complex cases. 

Roopa Nair, our Clinical Director for Women’s Health and Lead for Robotic Gynaecology, said: “It was really heartening to see the interest in women’s health, and being able to offer this service locally means women no longer need to travel elsewhere. It’s encouraging to have the support of our local MP and mayor and it shows their commitment to advancing care for women.” 

Read more on the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust website. 

Experts at King’s College Hospital and King’s College London are using robot radiotherapy to improve patients’ experience while also reducing cost. The new robot system treats wet neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by administering a one-off, minimally invasive dose of radiation, followed by patients’ routine treatment with injections into their eye.  

The results found that patients who had the robotic radiotherapy required fewer injections to control their disease compared to standard treatment.

Read more on the King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts website.