EXCLUSIVE

Systems supplier EMIS Health has no immediate plans to sign another new contract with a large chain this year, following a deal with Lloyds pharmacy.

The company was in negotiations with Lloydspharmacy owner Celesio UK for a year before securing the new contract in December, Ian Taylor, managing director of EMIS Health Community Pharmacy, told C+D yesterday (March 29).

The move will see its Proscript Connect software – a refreshed version of Proscript – rolled out in "up to 1,700" Lloydspharmacies across the UK later this year.

But the company "is not aggressively looking" to secure a second similar-sized contract in 2016, Mr Taylor said.

"Adding 1,700 [Lloyds] pharmacies to your estate is no mean feat. It’s a significant project, so we’re not looking for more trouble this year."

However, Mr Taylor added that EMIS Health is "always looking for new opportunities". 

"If another opportunity comes along and we see it works for us as a business, then of course we will [take it]. But we’re not aggressively looking for supermarkets or anything."

EMIS later stressed to C+D that its "talks with other large stakeholders in community pharmacy" will continue "with a view to securing further contracts in the near future".

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