MediCare Pharmacy Group Makes the Move to Hub and Spoke

MediCare Pharmacy will become the first pharmacy in Northern Ireland to move to a hub and spoke model of dispensing for original pack medication.

The group, with 52 high-volume branches across Northern Ireland, is looking to transform the way it dispenses by investing in state-of-the-art FLOWRx hub and spoke technology. The hub will be based in Belfast and will feature two automated dispensing lines which have the ability to label around 3000 packs per hour. The hub will also benefit from guided sorting and automated bagging and toting. All medication processed at the hub will be delivered back to pharmacy spokes the following day.

Installation of the hub will begin in late spring, with a phased rollout of the hub and spoke model expected to start shortly after. The FLOWRx software will be fully integrated with McLernon’s PMR, the largest PMR provider in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Michael Guerin, Managing Director of MediCare Pharmacy Group, said: “MediCare Pharmacy is committed to investing in the future of pharmacy. Our investment in a FLOWRx hub is another example of the way we use cutting-edge technology to improve the speed, accuracy and dispensing of services we provide.

“In addition, by moving our original pack repeat dispensing offsite to a central location, we will be ensuring that our teams in branch have more time available to interact with and provide pharmacy services to our patients, so we can care for their health in the most efficient and effective way possible.”

Todd Siegel, CEO, at Centred Solutions, said: “We are delighted to be rolling out our first FLOWRx hub in Northern Ireland. The work we are doing with MediCare will showcase the efficiencies of hub and spoke and how it can benefit patients and staff. We are the only company to specialise in scalable hub and spoke dispensing for the UK pharmacy market and the team at MediCare recognised our expertise in this field from the outset.

“Hub and spoke isn’t just about implementing a new system, it is a fundamental shift in how a pharmacy operates and to ensure success you need expertise. Our engineering team has extensive knowledge of pharmacy workflows, data architecture, complex integrations and governance. Alongside them, our solutions team is made up of trained pharmacists and pharmacy logistics specialists who have spent years working within hub and spoke environments before joining us.”