Pharmacy2U explained

Pharmacy2U
Type:Online pharmacy
Industry:Pharmaceutical
Founded:1999
Founder:Daniel Lee
Location:Thorpe Park, Leeds, England[1]
Area Served:United Kingdom
(prescriptions)
Global
(retail products)
Products:NHS repeat prescriptions service

Pharmacy2U is a British online pharmacy company, which manages NHS repeat prescriptions on behalf of patients.

History

Pharmacy2U was founded by pharmacist Daniel Lee in November 1999, and launched to the public in June 2000.

The British Medical Association initially had concerns about the use of internet prescribing and wanted to know more about Pharmacy2U's service. The chairman of the BMA's prescribing committee, George Rae, said "I would advise against getting private prescriptions over the internet because the patient's GP is not involved".[2] By July 2000, the council of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society had established the standards of professional practice for those who wished to provide pharmaceutical services via the internet.[3] By August 2000, Pharmacy2U was one of the founding members of the European Association of Mail Service Pharmacies.[4]

Pharmacy2U was involved in the first pilots to trial the electronic transfer of prescriptions (EPS) which went live in June 2002.[5] [6] With EPS, patients could request prescriptions electronically, and receive their medication by a postal delivery rather than picking it up in person.[7]

By 2003, Pharmacy2U had incorporated 142 surgeries into its program.[8]

In October 2015, Pharmacy2U were fined £130,000 by the Information Commissioner's Office for selling the names and addresses of patients without their permission. A spokesman apologised and said that Pharmacy2U would no longer sell patient data.[9]

During the opening of their £3.5 million Leeds-based dispensary in 2015, Pharmacy2U stopped providing medication for several weeks due to a failure in their automated dispensing system. A Pharmacy2U spokesman apologised, saying that "unforeseen difficulties" had led to "unexpected delays for some orders".[10] [11]

In January 2016, Pharmacy2U merged with ChemistDirect.co.uk who specialise in over-the-counter remedies. ChemistDirect.co.uk's Mark Livingstone took on the role of CEO for the newly formed group with Daniel Lee moving to chief pharmacy officer.[12]

In July 2017, Pharmacy2U's direct mail was criticised for leaving patients confused about their repeat prescriptions.[13]

The company was in a legal dispute in late 2018 over the rights of the contact details of members of the National Pharmacy Association. The presiding judge expressed concerns over the company's ability to "pick off" individual members.[14]

As of May 2019, Pharmacy2U has over 350,000 nominated EPS patients.[15] In November 2019, Pharmacy2U dispensed over 621,128 prescription items.[16] Pharmacy2U was named no.91 in 2019's Sunday Times Tech Track 100.[17]

The company made a loss of £16 million in 2018/19, although it added 330,000 new NHS patients and dispensed more than 5.3 million NHS prescriptions.[18]

In 2020, Pharmacy2U opened a dispensary in Leicester, almost completely automated and capable of dispensing up to 6.5 million prescription items a month.[19]

In March 2021, it was reported that Pharmacy2U was exploring a potential sale to a new private equity backer.[20]

Pharmacy2U acquired the LloydsDirect business from LloydsPharmacy in October 2023 for an undisclosed sum.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Help and support. Pharmacy2U. 8 November 2021. https://archive.today/20211108174344/https://www.pharmacy2u.co.uk/help-and-support/. 8 November 2021.
  2. News: UK's first online pharmacy opens . 12 June 2019 . BBC News .
  3. Book: Medicines, ethics and practice : a guide for pharmacists. . 2000 . Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain . 0853694648 . 129 . Vol. 24 . 12 June 2019.
  4. Internet-Apotheken: Qualitätssiegel entwickeln . Deutsches Ärzteblatt . 8 December 2000 . 12 June 2019 . de.
  5. News: Patients to get home delivery of medicines . The Yorkshire Post . 14 August 2001.
  6. Web site: ETP pilots go live as deadline nears. 8 June 2002. The Pharmaceutical Journal. 25 March 2020.
  7. News: Whitehall is late getting online . 12 June 2019 . The Telegraph . 29 April 2001.
  8. News: Mathieson . S. A. . Inside IT: All good things come to an end . 12 June 2019 . The Guardian . 10 July 2003.
  9. News: Green . Chris . NHS-approved pharmacy fined for selling patients' details without their consent . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220526/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/pharmacy2u-nhs-approved-pharmacy-fined-130000-for-selling-patients-details-without-their-consent-a6701411.html . 26 May 2022 . subscription . live . 12 June 2019 . The Independent . 20 October 2015 .
  10. News: Ward . Victoria . Hundreds of patients left without medicines over Christmas due to technical problems at online pharmacy . 12 June 2019 . 31 December 2015.
  11. Web site: Horti . Samuel . Pharmacy2U loses 5,000 patients after Xmas delivery disaster Chemist+Druggist . www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk . 17 February 2016. 13 June 2019.
  12. News: Jones . Tamlyn . Online pharmacy Chemist Direct in merger deal . 12 June 2019 . Birmingham Post . 4 July 2016.
  13. News: Tominey . Camilla . Pharmacy2U repeat prescriptions: NHS patients 'confused' over P2U direct mail campaign . 12 June 2019 . Daily Express . 16 July 2017 .
  14. Web site: Pharmacy2U loses legal battle for contact details of NPA members. Pharmaceutical Journal. Wickware. Carolyn. 29 December 2018.
  15. Web site: Statistics . NHS Digital . NHS Digital . 12 June 2019 .
  16. Web site: Pharmacy and Appliance Contractor Dispensing Data . NHS Business Services Authority statistics . NHS Business Services Authority statistics . 12 June 2019.
  17. Web site: Sources: The Sunday Times Tech Track 100. 7 September 2019. 9 September 2019.
  18. News: Pharmacy2U made £16m loss in 2018-19, report reveals . 24 February 2020 . Chemist & Druggist . 10 January 2020.
  19. News: Bradshaw . Julia . Robots replace pharmacy dispensers as online drugs orders will be processed almost entirely by machine . 9 March 2020 . The Telegraph . 30 June 2019.
  20. Web site: NHS online prescription giant Pharmacy2U eyes sale bonanza.
  21. Web site: Stent . James . 2023-10-06 . Pharmacy2U buys LloydsDirect for undisclosed sum . 2024-06-27 . Chemist and Druggist.