State-of-the-art pharmacy set to transform patient care and research across region
A new regional sterile pharmacy has reached structural completion in Southampton.
The facility will play a pivotal role in delivering faster and more personalised treatments at scale to patients in the city and beyond. It will also expand access to clinical trials.
The pharmacy is part of University Hospital Southampton (UHS).
It is the only facility of its kind in the region.
What is a ‘sterile pharmacy’?
An aseptic (sterile) pharmacy is a specialised facility. It uses advanced technology and techniques to prepare ready-to-administer (RtA) medicines in a highly controlled sterile environment. These include chemotherapy, intravenous antibiotics and nutritional therapies.
By centralising the preparation of these vital treatments, the new hub will significantly expand regional capacity for aseptic products.
It will also support initiatives that will enable more patients to receive care in their own homes.
The new unit is located at the Adanac Health and Innovation Campus, which is just 2.5 miles from UHS. The building also houses a sterile services department for the Trust.
The pharmacy will supply critical medicines to the hospital and other healthcare providers across the South. It has capacity to produce between 600,000 and 800,000 doses annually – benefitting hundreds of thousands of patients.
Enabling cutting-edge research
The facility includes a dedicated advanced-therapy suite. This will play a key role in ensuring UHS is at the forefront of innovative gene therapy medicines and groundbreaking clinical trials research.
Dr Karen Underwood, UHS Director of Research and Development, said:
“This new facility will expand access to research across our region. It will mean we can offer more patients the opportunity to have pioneering treatments, like gene therapies, through the latest clinical trials and studies.”
UHS has been growing its capability to deliver advanced therapies, MedTech and data trials over the past five years through its Southampton Emerging Therapies & Technologies (SETT) Centre. This means its hospitals are well-placed to deliver future clinical services.
Roger Doughty, aged 80, moved to Fair Oak after being diagnosed with a form of blood cancer. He chose to move closer to family after being told he had between four and five years to live.
10 years later, he is maintaining a good quality-of-life after entering a clinical trial for a cutting-edge treatment at UHS.
Roger Doughty is taking part in a clinical trial.
Credit: Paul Collins Photography
“I was nervous to start with, but my experience here has been unbelievable,” he says. “Before this trial, I had been having weekly transfusions and finding I had little energy. Now, I am having this trial drug monthly and the difference has been transformative. It has changed my life.”
During his career, Roger ran DIY and cleaning businesses in south London. Today, he enjoys spending time with his three grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
“I just feel better in every respect, it’s quite remarkable,” he says. “I’ve started doing DIY again and have built a new porch on my house.”
There were limited treatment options left for Roger when he was told about the clinical trial.
“I feel very fortunate that this is available for me in Southampton,” he says. “I’m encouraged to see the NHS investing to enable more research for new treatments. It gives hope - not just for myself, but for thousands of others who rely on innovation to improve their quality of life.”
Milestone moment
The pharmacy’s structural completion was marked last week (Friday, 29 August) with a visit from NHS England’s (NHSE) national medical director Dr Clare Fuller. She was joined by NHSE colleagues David Webb, chief pharmaceutical officer, and Sue Ladds, hospital pharmacy modernisation lead.
The visit was hosted by UHS chief operating officer Andy Hyett, chief pharmacist James Allen and other key staff and pharmacy team members.
UHS chief pharmacist James Allen with members of the pharmacy team and NHSE representatives.
Mr Hyett said: “This new aseptic pharmacy hub represents a groundbreaking step forward. As well as serving the needs of UHS patients, this cutting-edge facility will also provide these critical medicines for patients across the South-East region.
“By streamlining and centralising production of these therapies, we are not only enhancing the safety and efficiency of our processes but also freeing up valuable clinical time for our nursing teams to focus on providing exceptional patient care.
“This facility sets a new standard for innovation and collaboration in pharmacy services, and we are proud to be leading the way in advancing healthcare for our region and beyond.”
‘Revolutionary development’
The pharmacy now enters its final testing phase and is expected to begin supplying life-saving medicines to patients at UHS within the next month, ahead of becoming fully operational in 2026.
Mr Allen added: “This is a revolutionary development which will speed up patients’ access to critical medicines, shorten inpatient stays and improve clinical outcomes, so we are extremely excited to be part of this pioneering programme.”