Aberystwyth hospital employs robo pharmacist

Caradog has cost Bronglais Hospital £198,000

A robot called Caradog is helping to revolutionise the way a Ceredigion hospital dispenses its medicine.

The £198,000 pharmacy dispensing machine processes computerised drug orders from staff at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.

The Hywel Dda Health Board claimed Caradog would reduce the risk of errors and improve efficiency.

The board said it decided to introduce the new system after it had proved successful at other Welsh hospitals.

Previously staff picked medicine by hand, but the hospital claims the new system dispenses medication quickly once it has the prescription details.

The health board said the system reduced the risk of dispensing errors and allowed staff to use their time more efficiently.

There are many advantages of robotic dispensing which include risk reduction, waste avoidance and speeding up the supply process Dispensary manager Donna Robson

The hospital's dispensary manager Donna Robson said: "There are many advantages of robotic dispensing which include risk reduction, waste avoidance and speeding up the supply process."

The dispensary at Bronglais deals with 164,000 prescriptions a year.

Chief pharmacist Geraint Morgan said: "Technology such as this brings real benefits to the health care profession, as it allows us to spend more time dealing directly with patients."