Rowlands Pharmacy has unveiled the first wave of its elite service pharmacies (ESPs) as part of its strategy to boost public health in areas not participating in the healthy living pharmacy (HLP) initiative.

Rowlands has awarded four of its pharmacies ESP status, which means they will perform "at least to the minimum requirements of HLPs" and become flagship branches for their areas.

"We can help to promote healthy living in those areas that don't use HLP" Kenny Black Rowlands Pharmacy

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The branches – in Ellesmere in Shropshire, Cumbernauld in Scotland and Bala and Bangor in Wales – will need to conduct a minimum of 400 MURs a year, offer at least two enhanced or private services and invest in the new medicine service (NMS). The unveiling came six months after Rowlands announced it would be launching the scheme, as it said many PCTs had not recognised the healthy living pharmacy initiative and therefore it was providing its own version.

This week, Rowlands managing director Kenny Black said the initiative would enable its pharmacies to offer "the highest standards of customer service" in areas where HLPs were not available.

"Our ESPs will qualify to HLP status as a minimum, which means that we can help to promote healthy living in those areas that don't use [the] HLP service and, at the same time, know that our staff are striving for and achieving, a top level of service," he said.

Three years ago, Rowlands set out its strategy to focus solely on health and wellbeing in a sweeping redesign of its pharmacies.