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Homecare Service

What is Homecare and how does it work?

The Pharmacy Homecare Medicines Service is a term used to describe the delivery of certain hospital prescribed medicines directly to your home or alternative address that you choose.  In some cases there may be other types of support included such as nursing or teaching in the home environment.

It is managed by the Pharmacy Homecare team along with your consultants, specialist nurses and Pharmacists throughout the hospital.

The Homecare provider only deliver with your prior approval directly to your home or nominated address, on a prearranged date. Where appropriate, Homecare also provides nurses who come to your home to help you get started with some of your medication.

The benefits of Homecare include:

  • Not having to wait at the hospital Pharmacy to collect certain medication
  • Patients can receive one to one care from the Homecare nurse who would train the patient to self-administer to allow the them to have their treatment independently at home
  • Should patients need to get in touch to speak to someone, they have support available from the clinical team, Homecare provider and the Pharmacy Homecare team
  • No need to carry heavy bulky medicines home
  • Avoid travelling to hospital every month to pick up certain repeat medication
  • Cost-effective for the NHS

Who will provide my medicines?

The Homecare providers we use are private companies who are not part of the NHS or the hospital, but have been chosen by us, from a list of providers who have tendered to provide this service through the East of England procurement hub, to provide this service to you.

Occasionally we may change the Homecare medicines service provider we use. This will always be managed with little to no effect to you. We always use tried and trusted providers who can demonstrate years of experience in providing quality Homecare medicines services.

What should you do if you are getting low on medicine stock?

Please notify the Pharmacy Homecare team if you have less than 7 days’ supply and have not heard from your Homecare provider. They will contact your Homecare provider on your behalf to arrange contact and delivery.

How to contact the Pharmacy Homecare team

The Homecare team can be contacted via the below methods:

Bedford Hospital

Telephone via switchboard: 01234 355122, extension 6389 (Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 16:00)

Answer phone available.

E-mail: bhn-tr.pharmacyhomecare@nhs.net (Monday to Friday 09:00 – 16:00)

Luton and Dunstable University Hospital

Office direct line: 01582 718265 or telephone via switchboard: 01582 491166, extension 8265 (Monday to Friday, 09:30 – 17:00)

No answer phone available.

Email: Ldh-tr.ldhomecare@nhs.net (Monday to Friday 08:30 – 17:00)