CANCER patients in South Devon will benefit from improved access to medication following an £88,000 investment in specialist pharmacy equipment.

The new machine, known as a negative pressure isolator, helps prevent contamination during the preparation of high-risk medicines, including chemotherapy and other specialist injectable treatments.

It allows medication to be prepared in a tightly controlled environment and will also support the preparation of novel drugs used in clinical trials.

The investment follows a successful funding bid to the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

The new isolator will provide additional space for drug preparation and improve access to medication for patients receiving both standard care and treatments through research studies.

Louise Paatz, accountable pharmacist for Aseptic Services at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said the equipment would help maintain safe services and access to new therapies.

‘I am delighted that colleagues from our research and development team have been able to procure this important equipment,’, she said.

‘It means we can continue to support safe service delivery and maintain access to research and new therapies which in turn will benefit our patients. It is going to make a real difference’.

The investment also includes funding for two new posts, with staff splitting their time between supporting research and standard care.

The additional staff capacity is expected to improve set-up times for new clinical trials, support patient safety and allow other pharmacy team members to focus on delivering treatment.

Research and Development Director at the Trust, Dr Fiona Roberts, said: ‘Research forms an essential part of the NHS. It’s a government high-priority area and a key enabler in our new Trust strategy.

‘As a successful research active Trust not only do we offer our local population the opportunity to access new and novel treatments, but we can access other NIHR investment opportunities.

‘This brings in new additional external funding to improve our Trust infrastructure such as this this isolator unit in pharmacy aseptic services, creating much needed additional capacity and capability for both trials and standard of care work’.