Vending machine planned for Portsmouth pharmacy to make it easier for patients to pick up their prescriptions

The pharmacy has asked Portsmouth City Council for planning permission as it looks to install the prescription vending machine at the front of its shop on 3-5 Kingston Road. The Pharmaself24 machine enables pharmacists to securely store prescriptions until they are ready for collection. Patients are then notified with a unique PIN code, which they can use to retrieve their medicine at any time of day.

Planning documents state the pharmacy business “has changed over the years” as well as patients’ needs. The “most advanced” pharmacy dispensing system allows drug dispensing without “depending on opening and closing times and without wasting time queuing”.

“This flexibility to collect is what has brought the most positive impact, especially for those who work 9-5 and struggle to visit during daytime hours,” documents added The robot position in the shop front will replace a currently disused automatic sliding door, so it will have no negative impact on access in and out of the pharmacy. In fact, it will ensure that both sides of the shop-fronts can be used independently.”

Other benefits include faster medicine collection, freeing up staff time and resources, a reduction in queuing and a reduction of customers entering the pharmacy (for any patients will contagious illness). A comparable machine was introduced in Gosport in 2020, and within six weeks of its launch, it attracted over 300 users. Residents can view or comment on the plans here or by using the planning reference 24/00206/FUL.