It follows criticism levelled at the company earlier this year over the app’s setup, after it was found to automatically opt in all Numark members but only offered free home medicine deliveries through Rowlands’ centralised dispensing facility. 

A spokesperson for Numark told C+D last week (May 19) that from June 1 its delivery function will be upgraded, allowing “patients to select delivery from their local pharmacy for members who wish to offer the service”.

 

Read more: Numark pledges to ‘refine’ Hey Pharmacist app following concerns

 

“Previously, the app offered home delivery through our centralised dispensing facility, as we needed to develop our portal to allow members to know when they receive a delivery order,” the spokesperson added.

 

Free trial for members extended until June

 

All Numark members in England were initially opted in to the service and given a five-month free trial period, with the option to opt out by April 15, Numark told C+D.

However, “following feedback from members requesting more time before committing to a charge”, this has now been extended until June 1.

 

Read more: 37% of C+D readers considering charging for medicine deliveries

 

Currently, over 1,500 Numark members in England are using the Hey Pharmacist app. 

From June 1, Numark will charge a monthly fee of £60 plus VAT to those who are still signed up to use the service, the spokesperson confirmed.

Phoenix UK – Rowlands’ and Numark’s parent company – announced the acquisition of the Co-op Health platform in March 2021, which it completed in April and then rebranded as Hey Pharmacist in July.

The Hey Pharmacist app was created to help pharmacies compete with online competitors and aims to drive footfall to Numark member pharmacies.

 

Patient can “track their prescription journey”

 

Pharmacies opted in to the app after June 1 will also “be able to manage the order flow and update patients with the progress of their order via the app’s portal”, the spokesperson told C+D.

The portal will enable members to send patients notifications and messages, allowing them “to track their prescription journey”, they said.

Further developments to the app include changes to the registration flow for patients, upgrading the register/login screen “so it is clearer”, and improving the support offered when a patient returns from the NHS without a successful login, the spokesperson added.

Earlier this month, Numark announced that over 7,500 patients had already used the Hey Pharmacist app to order and collect prescriptions from their local pharmacy since January.