A pharmacy group is set to become the first in Northern Ireland to move to a hub and spoke dispensing model.
MediCare Pharmacy Group, which has 52 branches across the country, said it will begin instillation for the new model of dispensing original pack medication in late spring.
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There will then be a phased rollout of the hub and spoke model expected to start soon after, the pharmacy said.
The hub will be based in Belfast and will feature two automated dispending lines which can label around 3,000 packs of medication per hour. It will also have guided sorting and automated bagging and toting capabilities.
All medication processed at the hub will be delivered back to pharmacy spokes the following day, MediCare said.
MediCare pharmacy group managing director Michael Guerin said: ‘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.
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‘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.’
Chief executive at Centred Solutions, Todd Siegel, said the company was ‘delighted’ to be rolling out its first FLOWRx hub in Northern Ireland.
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He added: ‘Hub and spoke isn’t just about implementing a new system, it is a fundamental shift in how a pharmacy operates.’
Centred Solutions is a pharmacy technology company that provides automation software and hub and spoke solutions. Their software FLOWRx connects central hub pharmacies with pharmacy spokes and automates repeat prescription dispensing.
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