Boots has entered into a partnership with Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust by opening a new pharmacy opposite the hospital to dispense outpatient prescriptions.

Hospital chief pharmacist Paul Rowbotham said: "This initiative means our outpatients will have shorter waiting times for prescriptions and more convenient and accessible pharmacy services. The new arrangements also mean that we can reinvest our highly-skilled NHS pharmacists in ward-based work, so they can concentrate their efforts on ensuring our inpatients that need the most care, get the necessary medication as quickly as possible."

Peter Bainbridge, director of pharmacy at Boots UK, added: “This partnership not only ensures we are located where patients want and need us most, but also allows us to work together to support patient care in the local community and make a real difference to people’s health and well being.”

Boots UK was chosen to provide the hospital's outpatient facilities following a competitive tendering process aimed at improving the delivery of pharmacy services and increasing patient safety and choice.