Gosport pharmacy trials new prescription vending machine which allows patients to get their medicines 24/7

Rowlands Pharmacy is trialling a new automated prescription collection point, at its Stoke Road branch in Gosport which gives customers the flexibility to pick up their medicines at any time.

The ‘PharmaSelf’ notifies them by text message when their prescription is ready to collect and a pin number is sent which, after being inputted into the machine, will release the medicines.

Store manager Terri Morgan said: ‘It has been in place for about six weeks now and customers are loving it.

‘We have about 300 people signed up to use it, each with their own specific code, and it has been really great.

‘It has freed up more time for staff to deal with other customers who need help and we don’t feel panicked because there is no queue building up for prescriptions and it has kept the pharmacy more clear which is great especially with Covid restrictions.’

Sign-up and use of the PharmaSelf collection point is free but patients will be required to pay for their prescription on collection as normal or provide evidence of their exemption if they do not usually pay.

Terri, who has worked at the store for more than 19 years added: ‘Things have certainly changed since I first started and we have to move with the times, but this is undoubtedly the coolest and best thing I have seen in my career.’

Rowlands Managing Director, Mark Bather, added: ‘Community pharmacy is a changing landscape and we’re continually looking to adapt our business in line with changing customer behaviours.

‘The recent growth in use of online prescription only services only reinforces that customers are looking for more ease and convenience when ordering prescriptions, this pilot scheme will give local community pharmacies more flexibility to be able to compete.

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‘Face-to-face patient care is the lifeblood of community pharmacy. The ability to offer walk-in consultations and well-informed healthcare advice in-person, is essential in maintaining high standards of pharmacy care. By introducing new pilot schemes like these, we’re able to offer patients more convenience and dedicate more time to giving one-to-one in-branch advice.’

The stations are operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week even during weekends and bank holidays.

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