Well pharmacy yesterday (February 5) announced the launch of its new “Online Doctor” service to demonstrate its “commitment to improving access to healthcare [by] meeting the evolving need of patients” in community pharmacy.
It said it introduced the service to provide “quick, convenient and confidential access to prescription treatments for a wide range of conditions”.
According to the multiple, the Online Doctor “simplifies access to prescription treatments” to ensure “flexibility and ease of use” for all patients.
“Prescriptions can be fulfilled through home delivery, collected at a local Well Pharmacy, or picked up from John Bell & Croydon,” it said.
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“The process ensures patients can access care quickly without the need for in-person consultations, making it a convenient option for those with busy schedules or who may prefer greater privacy,” the pharmacy said.
But it added that for those who “prefer in-person interactions...pharmacists are available to provide advice and answer any questions” when prescriptions are collected in store.
“Removing barriers”
The service offers support for 16 health conditions including emergency contraception, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, facial hair removal, smoking cessation and STI treatment.
“By removing barriers to obtaining prescriptions, Well aims to empower patients”, the multiple said, adding that the service “ensures patients can manage their health on their terms”.
“Well Pharmacy remains committed to its role as a cornerstone of local communities,” it added.
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Well Pharmacy chief retail officer Andrew Caplan said that the “Online Doctor service is a step forward in making healthcare more accessible and tailored to modern lifestyles”.
It provides a “secure and discreet way for patients to access the treatments they need, all backed by the expertise and trustworthiness of Well Pharmacy”, he added.
“Human touch”
Expert Health chief executive Andy Sloman said digital healthcare becomes “so much more powerful when combined with the expertise and human touch of healthcare professionals”.
“Expert Health’s partnership with Well creates a powerful patient offer, combining the convenience of online consultations with the accessibility and support of a national store network,” he added.
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It comes as the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) this week (February 4) published new prescribing guidance setting out that “all online pharmacies in Great Britain will have to strengthen safeguards”.
“For high-risk medicines, [a] prescriber cannot base prescribing decisions on the information provided in an online questionnaire alone,” it said.
“Instead, the prescriber has to independently verify the information the person provides”, it added.
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Meanwhile, Morrisons last month (January 2) announced the launch of the “Morrisons Clinic” in partnership with digital pharmacy Phlo, providing an “online private prescription service” that delivers customers’ medicine in as little as 24 hours.
And in November Tesco launched a “dedicated health zone” to expand pharmacy services and provide customers with “easy and convenient” healthcare while they shop.
