How luxury pharmacy is run in a leading London store

Running an NHS pharmacy in one of the capital’s luxury department stores is not without its challenges, as Harrods pharmacy manager Sarina Mughal explains.

You may have heard of luxury retail…But what is luxury pharmacy?

Nestled in the heart of Knightsbridge, London you will find a cave of wonders known as The Harrods Pharmacy – a pharmacy inside one of the world’s most iconic department store.

Having worked in the healthcare industry for 20 years and as a pharmacist of almost 13 years, this is one of the most unique projects I have managed in my career.

It is a perfect blend of providing a high level of clinical excellence, luxury retail, and innovation.

The pharmacy, located in the lower ground floor is a partnership between Harrods and Day Lewis Pharmacy group where we provide both high-quality pharmacy care alongside the Harrods experience.

With premium finishes and glass shelves, it is the perfect blend of a traditional pharmacy with a modern touch. You will not see any prescription only medicines (POMs) on the shelves as these are nicely tucked away behind brown wooden draws, to give a clean and discreet finish. Prepared medication bags are also in areas not visible to the patient eye.

NHS services

We provide traditional NHS pharmacy services alongside our advanced private clinical services and high-end retail products.

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While Harrods is probably not the average consumer’s first thought for their medicines, we dispense medicines for approximately 500 members of our local community.

In addition to NHS dispensing, we also provide NHS services such as the new medicine service, the contraception service, flu vaccinations and the hypertension case-finding service, where we offer free blood pressure checks to those eligible under the criteria to try to detect undiagnosed hypertension.

Over the years we have become extremely popular among all types of clients; from business travellers and tourists to the uber rich and famous. We like to ensure we provide the same level of high service no matter who the client is.

With an influx of both international and UK patients and customers, one of the challenges we often face is balancing the expectations of a luxury retail environment with the regulatory and clinical responsibilities of an NHS pharmacy.

Governance, confidentiality, and patient safety are non-negotiable, even in a fast-paced, high-footfall setting. All patients are treated equally no matter their socio-economic status – we will always make patients our first concern.

With our international clients, the most common challenge is explaining the legalities of medicines here in the UK compared to their home countries. We often find medicines here are POMs whereas in some of their home countries, patients can purchase these medicines over the counter.  A common one being melatonin for jet lag, which requires a prescription here in the UK. So, we need to make sure we deliver the information correctly.

Having a pharmacy in Harrods, presents huge opportunities where we can reach patients who may not traditionally engage with pharmacy services, opening doors for them to elevate their health and empowering them to make positive choices.

Our NHS services are delivered to the same high clinical and governance standards as any community pharmacy with a strong focus on safety and quality. Following robust procedures and clear clinical pathways we make sure we advocate for the NHS and what it stands for by serving our community. Despite being in a retail-led environment, we prioritise confidentiality, appropriate consultation spaces, and trained staff to ensure services such as dispensing, advice, and counselling is delivered efficiently and professionally.

We have two consultation rooms for these services and so patients can speak to professionals in a confidential and discreet space.

Private services

Our NHS work makes up around 20% of our work, 10 % is private services and 70% is retail which includes over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and private prescriptions.

Alongside NHS services, we offer a variety of private services, including private consultations and prescribing services, travel health and an ear care service which compromises of an ear check, wax removal and a hearing test.

These services are designed to meet the needs of clientele who value expertise, discretion, and convenience, while still maintaining a strong clinical foundation.

Our private services are accessible to all including the approximate 6,000 employees Harrods house across their Knightsbridge and their Hammersmith head office locations.

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Luxury retail

Harrods Pharmacy stock some unique vitamins and supplements from a rare Cordyceps mushroom or a Korean Ginseng. Our team assist customers in this area to find something exclusive along the way.

Product selection is very important to us, and this shows in our retail lines as well as our OTC ranges. While in a traditional pharmacy OTC sales can sometimes be transactional, we try to make them a strategic part of our business.

Our OTC range is highly curated, clinically led, and aligned with the expectations of both our NHS and private clients in mind.

As someone who has judged several OTC awards in the industry, I focus on brands that are evidence-based, have brand integrity and where the quality is unmatched.

Our interaction with patients is always supported by pharmacist-led advice to ensure customers receive meaningful guidance rather than a simple retail sale. We like to provide a holistic approach allowing us to offer both pharmacological and non-pharmacological guidance.

Managing a luxury pharmacy

Managing a £4-5m pound business is no easy task and requires extensive leadership skills, time management, business planning to make it a success.

I thrive on leading by example, by not only working on the business but also working in the business; continuously using my pharmacist qualification, to educate and inspire my teams.

With a base multi-disciplinary team of 10 employees comprising of pharmacists, dispensers and retail sales associates to then having a further 25 brand ambassadors, the team is growing.

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Our behind-the-scenes management structure and buying and marketing teams play a vital role to assist in optimising business performance.

All staff involved in the success of Harrods Pharmacy are flexible, highly trained, and play a crucial role in maintaining both clinical standards and the premium experience our customers expect.

The financial success of Harrods Pharmacy comes from diversification, balance and leading with heart reminding us we have all been a patient in need before.