Hospital outpatient pharmacies explained

Most people are familiar with their local community pharmacy, but if you’ve had an appointment at a hospital, you may have come across a hospital outpatient pharmacy. 

These pharmacies play a vital role in patient care, but their services are a little different to what you’d expect from your local high street pharmacy.

Here’s what you need to know.

Where can you find hospital outpatient pharmacies?

Hospital outpatient pharmacies are usually located within, or very close to, the hospital site. They dispense medicines prescribed by hospital doctors, consultants and specialist clinics.

If you’ve been seen in an outpatient clinic, had day surgery, or been discharged from hospital, this is where you will most likely need to go to receive your medication.

Look out for clear signs around the hospital directing you to the pharmacy. Staff in outpatient clinics and wards will also tell you where to collect your medicines before you leave.

What services do they offer?

Hospital outpatient pharmacies focus on:

Supplying medicines prescribed in outpatient clinics

These might include new or specialist treatments that are started in hospital clinics, or continued medication that require monitoring.

Specialist medicines

Some treatments are only available through hospital pharmacies because they need close supervision or are not routinely stocked by community pharmacies.

Advice and support

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in hospital outpatient pharmacies can explain how to take your medications, discuss possible side effects and answer your questions, just like community pharmacies can.

Sexual and reproductive health services

Some hospital pharmacies can provide emergency contraception (the morning-after pill) and advice about ongoing contraception. Availability varies by hospital, so it’s best to check in advance.

What hospital outpatient pharmacies do not do

Unlike your community pharmacy, hospital outpatient pharmacies cannot:

• Dispense repeat prescriptions from your GP.
• Sell over-the-counter medicines for hospital inpatients (these can be requested on the ward and supplied by the inpatient pharmacy).

Many outpatient pharmacies do have a supply of common over-the-counter medicines, but these are only to be sold to patients attending outpatient clinics or anyone stopping by. They generally cannot sell medicines to inpatients due to potential conflicts with ward medications.

What if the hospital pharmacy is the only place with your medication?

Sometimes, a hospital outpatient pharmacy may be the only place that can supply a medicine. This may be because:

• The medicine is highly specialised and requires consultant supervision.
• It is new or expensive and only funded for supply through hospitals.
• It requires careful monitoring and is only dispensed in a hospital setting.

If this is the case, your hospital team will explain how to access the medicine. In many situations, you may collect it from the outpatient pharmacy on a set schedule, or you will be given a new prescription each visit by a consultant, if it is a closely monitored medication.

Understanding hospital only prescriptions

Some medicines are considered “hospital only”, meaning they are only supplied through hospital pharmacy. If you are given a hospital only prescription, it usually states this as the top, for example:

“This prescription can only be fulfilled at Harrogate Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy”.

This means:

• You cannot take it to a community pharmacy or another hospital pharmacy to get it.
• Hospital outpatient pharmacies cannot dispense medicines prescribed on regular GP prescriptions; they only supply hospital prescriptions.

Sometimes, a hospital doctor may write a prescription for a community pharmacy instead (often referred to as a green prescription). If this happens:

• The doctor or clinic team should let you know where you can collect it.
• You will then be able to take it to a community pharmacy rather than a specified hospital outpatient pharmacy.

Understanding this distinction can help avoid confusion and ensure you receive your medicines safely and without unnecessary delays.

What should you do if you need a top-up or run out?

If your medicines came from a hospital outpatient pharmacy, you should not expect your GP or community pharmacy to always be able to supply it. Instead:

• Contact the hospital outpatient pharmacy directly for advice.
• Check if the hospital team has set up a regular supply schedule.
• If you’re unsure, speak with your consultant’s clinic for guidance.

Important: Hospital medicines are closely monitored, and patients are usually given only a set amount to last for a specific period. This helps ensure safe use and prevents errors, so running out or needing a top-up unexpectedly usually doesn’t happen.

Sometimes, patients are diagnosed with a condition that doesn’t require ongoing hospital monitoring but will need long-term medication. In these cases:

• A consultant may ask you to collect your first dose, or a supply for the first few months, from the hospital outpatient pharmacy so that your initial response to the medication can be monitored.
• Once it’s safe, the doctor will often send a letter to your GP, who can continue repeat prescriptions and any necessary monitoring. This means that after the initial period, you can usually collect your medication from your community pharmacy, making it more accessible and convenient.

Hospital outpatient pharmacies are there to provide the medicines prescribed by hospital doctors and is often specialist treatment that you cannot get from your local pharmacy. 

They don’t replace your community pharmacy, but they are an important link in your care after hospital appointments. 

If you’re ever unsure where to collect your medicines, ask your hospital team or pharmacy staff for advice.

A brief note on hospital inpatient pharmacies

Hospital inpatient pharmacies support patients who are staying in hospital.

If you are admitted:

• The inpatient pharmacy provides all the medications you need during your stay, including any regular medications you usually get from your GP.
• They can also supply any new medications prescribed by the hospital doctors while you are in hospital.
• When you are discharged, the inpatient pharmacy often provides a month’s supply of your medicines to take home. Your GP is then usually responsible for continuing these medications, based on the discharge letter, which will include any details of any ongoing medicines.
• Their main role is to make sure your medications are safe, correctly dosed and coordinated with your treatment during your stay.

Inpatient pharmacies are not usually open to the public, so you won’t go there to collect medicines yourself – that’s what outpatient and community pharmacies are for. 

In summary

Hospital outpatient pharmacies supply medicines prescribed by hospital doctors, often including specialist treatments that are not available from your local pharmacy. They do not replace your community pharmacy, but they are an important part of your care following hospital appointments.

If you are ever unsure where to collect your medicines, ask your hospital team or pharmacy staff for advice.