Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is implementing the Ultimate™ Platinum labelling system from Episys, the global information technology solutions and services company, to improve patient safety through better labelling of medicines supplied by Newcastle Specials Pharmacy Production Unit.
Ultimate Platinum offers enhanced security providing extensive password control and full auditing of every activity and event within the system, including the creation and printing of worksheets. Newcastle Specials will be able to improve label presentation on products supplied within the Trust and beyond to external customers. It can also now print in colour as well as black and white.
Yan Hunter Blair, Assistant Director of Pharmacy, at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said, "We already knew that Episys has a lot of expertise in this area and we were aware that other leading NHS organisations are already using the Episys solutions. The patient safely aspect is very important to us as well as better presentation for the end user. The overlabelling product that Episys has designed for us is an example of just how accommodating they have been. Their approach has been to understand what we as the user wants from the system rather than develop it for us and for it not to be exactly right."
Episys have worked closely with the team at Newcastle Specials, to produce a new specialised label specifically designed for the overlabelling of medicines. A clear hinge with permanent adhesive anchors the label whilst the main body of the label has peelable adhesive, meaning it can be peeled back and re-applied so not to obscure the manufacturers important information beneath. This makes the overlabelling of medicines straight forward and avoids the need to stock many different label shapes and sizes.
Derek Buchanan, Chief Executive Officer at Episys, said, "The experience we have built up over a number of years working with hospitals, means that we are able to solve even the biggest challenges and we are delighted to be able to provide a solution that meets the needs of both Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and its customers."