Robot pharmacist helps hospital

A new robot which is claimed will save more than 1,200 hours of staff time per year has been installed in the pharmacy of a Somerset hospital.

The machine at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, uses barcodes to identify and collect patients' medication.

Although it has an error rate of one in 10,000, prescriptions would be checked by two people, the hospital said.

The time saved means pharmacists have more time to check any leftover drugs back into the pharmacy.

This practice has saved the hospital £30,000 in the past few months.

The robot also allows pharmacists to spend more time on the wards with patients, and less time dispensing pills.