The online pharmacy business was previously granted an NHS contract for its second dispensing hub by NHS England, but this decision has now been appealed by NHS Resolution.

NHS Resolution confirmed to C+D yesterday (January 29) that the contract had been appealed, and said it has no further comment to make at present. The organisation added that its “full decision” will be published next week.

The Leicester facility is the second Pharmacy2U dispensing hub, and the company has said it will enable it to “dispense over six million medicines a month”.

“We had our license for the new facility approved previously by NHS England so we are disappointed that it has been held up on appeal,” it told C+D on Monday (January 27).

The company said it will work with the NHS to “ensure all feedback is answered and changes are made” to its application.

In a post on Linkedin last week, pharmacist and lawyer Conor Daly claimed the reason for the appeal was that the committee “could not be satisfied that the proposed procedures would secure a safe and effective service”. However this remains unconfirmed by NHS Resolution and Pharmacy2U.

In its 2018-19 financial report, Pharmacy2U said it would use part of a £40m equity investment secured in March 2018 to fund the development of this second automated dispensing hub.