Pharmacy robot name is revealed
A new robot in the pharmacy department at The Royal London has been officially named by the team.
After a fierce competition, 'Di-Spencer' was voted the preferred name for the MedPick central pharmacy dispensing robot. The machine can automatically select the correct medication and deliver it via conveyor belt directly to the dispensing pharmacist.
Di-Spencer is also capable of processing up to 200 packs per hour using barcode scanning and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. This reduces manual loading effort, improves inventory accuracy and automatically captures key information such as batch numbers and expiry dates.
Members of the department gathered at The Royal London on 10 June for a ribbon cutting ceremony, with group chief executive, Shane DeGaris, given the honours.
As well as helping to dispense medicine, Di-Spencer also helps increase storage space, enabling the department to store around 50% more medicine without needing additional space.
Furthermore, the robot has been designed with scalability at its core. As demand grows, the Trust will be able to add additional dispensing points without replacing the main system or undertaking major building work. This modular approach protects the Trust’s investment and provides a clear pathway for future expansion.
Neil Ashman, CEO of The Royal London Hospital, said: "I hope this is the beginning of kit upgrades that will allow you to do the work you do brilliantly."