Neath-based Pharmacy – The Health Dispensary - invests in UV-C Disinfection Robots

Unlike many other public services and businesses, community pharmacies have stayed open during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver essential services to patients and local communities.

With GP practices under unprecedented pressure, pharmacists and their staff have stepped up to offer a wider range of services to customers including assistance with minor illnesses. In fact, many recorded messages on GP hotlines recommend contacting your local pharmacists for certain queries – increasing the pressure through additional calls and visits from those unable to get a doctor’s appointment during this global pandemic.

Covid-19 Measures Taken by Community Pharmacies

Community pharmacies have adapted their frontline services to meet this increased demand and have put in place hygiene and infection control systems along with social distancing measures. It has been paramount to ensure staffing levels are sufficient and all teams are safe. Some pharmacies have also had to adjust their opening hours and ensure they have adequate stock.

Social distancing in particular has been challenging in smaller, community pharmacies and, though there is no strict guidance on how social distancing should be implemented in these spaces, different pharmacies have put in a variety of measures to achieve this. These include:

• Placing physical barriers in doorways or in front of the pharmacy counter to prevent patients from getting close.

• Cordoning off areas using store shelving to redirect patients.

• Adding tape on the ground to enable customers to maintain the 2 metre distance rule.

• Placing acrylic glass barriers in front of the counter or building hatches for the collection of medicine, which may require the specialist expertise of a pharmacist.

• Cleaning and sanitising all areas several times a day and either at the end or beginning of each day.

UV-C Disinfection Robots in the Health Dispensary

Some pharmacies have taken their approach to deep sanitisation to the next level by investing in the latest technology in the form of UV-C disinfection robots by Swansea-based Evolve Raybotix.

These cutting-edge robots, classified as medical devices, use UV-C light supported by Ozone gas to destroy microorganisms’ DNA structures, quickly and safely eradicating 99.9% of harmful bacteria and viruses in an environmentally friendly and chemical-free way.

Ali Sparkes, owner and pharmacist at the Health Dispensary in Neath is one of these. The Health Dispensary is a unique and very welcoming independent pharmacy offering an extensive range of natural remedies along with complementary health and wellness treatments.

Ali actually owns two pharmacies in Neath and has always been interested in how technology supports an increase in efficiency of operations and patient convenience. She already has two major robots in her Windsor Road Pharmacy – one which stores and dispenses drugs to the Pharmacist and one which allows for 24-hour prescription collections – the first located in an independent pharmacy in Wales.

She purchased the Evolve Raybotix NEO model which is the smallest robot in the portfolio but has the ability to kill viruses and bacteria in a space of approx. 25m2 in around 8-10 minutes.

Says Ali, “I noticed Evolve Raybotix advertising a very exciting disinfection robot which uses UVC to sanitise surfaces and space. We already have a number of robots at The Health Dispensary and, as a self confessed tech geek, I was very much drawn to one which could potentially do our cleaning for us in such a super efficient way.” Listen to more of Ali’s reasons for investing in our robots here:

Booking a Free Demonstration

If you work in a community pharmacy and are looking for ways to disinfect and sanitise your premises easily and efficiently outside your working hours, then call a member of our team today to book a free demonstration.

You can also read more about why Ali Sparkes jumped at the chance to invest in an Evolve Raybotix robot here