Optimising a Hospital Pharmacy Layout to Improve Flow and Capacity
Partnering with an NHS Trust to deliver a projected 10% demand reduction, 15% faster turnaround times, and improved storage efficiency within an existing hospital pharmacy footprint.
A large NHS hospital pharmacy was experiencing increasing demand without additional space or staffing capacity. Staff were regularly working beyond scheduled hours and operating in increasingly constrained conditions.
The organisation sought to optimise its existing pharmacy layout and processes to improve efficiency, enhance the working environment, and better support growing service demand. To achieve this, the trust partnered with The PSC to identify practical opportunities to improve how the pharmacy space and workflows were being used.
The challenge
The hospital pharmacy plays a critical role in ensuring accurate medication dispensing, effective inventory management, and high-quality pharmaceutical care for both inpatient services and the wider community.
However, a key constraint within the pharmacy was an ageing dispensary robot which was increasingly unreliable and contributing to dispensing errors and additional workload for pharmacy staff. The limitations of the system also affected how the surrounding space was used, contributing to inefficient storage arrangements and workflow challenges within the dispensary, and reducing the department’s ability to operate as efficiently as possible within its existing footprint.
Our approach
Leadership within the pharmacy department recognised that improving performance would require a clearer understanding of how work currently flowed through the space. Rather than implementing isolated adjustments, they wanted an evidence-based view of where changes would deliver the greatest operational impact.
Working in partnership with The PSC, the trust undertook a focused diagnostic of pharmacy operations. This included on-site observations and structured analysis of workflows using Lean and Six Sigma techniques to assess flow and variation.
Value stream mapping was used to identify both value-adding and non-value-adding steps across key pharmacy processes. The team also engaged pharmacy staff and key users of pharmacy services across the hospital to ensure improvement opportunities reflected operational realities and aligned with wider hospital transformation initiatives.
Together, this work created a clear picture of where the existing layout and processes were constraining efficiency – and where targeted changes could unlock meaningful improvements.
The change
Building on this analysis, The PSC worked closely with pharmacy leaders to identify and prioritise a shortlist of practical transformation initiatives. These focused on improving layout efficiency, optimising storage and workflow, and ensuring the department could respond more effectively to demand within its existing footprint.
A high-level options appraisal enabled the pharmacy team to prioritise low-cost, high-impact initiatives that could be implemented quickly. Each option was supported by clear next steps and assigned ownership within the pharmacy team, helping to ensure momentum beyond the initial project phase.
The resulting implementation plan set out both short-term improvements and longer-term opportunities to support the pharmacy in meeting its evolving demand profile while working more effectively with wider hospital services.
Senior stakeholders across the organisation supported the plan, recognising its potential to deliver measurable operational benefits. Projections indicated that the proposed changes could deliver a 10% reduction in demand pressures, a 15% reduction in turnaround time, a 3% reduction in medication waste, and release approximately 20 square metres of usable space within the pharmacy.
The PSC works alongside healthcare teams to identify practical, evidence-based changes that improve both operational performance and the working environment for staff, helping organisations deliver better outcomes for patients and their communities. If we can support your organisation, get in touch with us – we’d love to hear from you.