Royal Mail Health is committed to improving access to patient’s healthcare needs. Working alongside Pharmacy2U, Royal Mail Health will make sure that NHS patients who are prescribed medication can order and receive it safely and conveniently.

The UK prescription market is growing 3.5% year on year with 5% of prescriptions now online, according to NHS figures. There is increasing patient demand for access to medicines delivered direct to people’s homes, reinforced by changes in online shopping behaviours in the last two years, which Royal Mail will support for both online and local community pharmacies.

Last year, Royal Mail worked with Pharmacy2U to trial same day delivery of medicines, following a surge in demand during the pandemic. This provided patients with a safe, convenient and high quality way to order and receive medicine from the comfort of their own home. This is an exciting step in the next phase of growth for Pharmacy2U and builds on the service Royal Mail and Pharmacy2U already provide to communities across the country.

As the UK’s sole designated Universal Service Provider, Royal Mail is at the heart of every community and is trusted to deliver to over 31 million addresses across the UK, at least six days a week.

Royal Mail already has a strong presence in the healthcare market, delivering the majority of prescriptions which are ordered online. Royal Mail understands the importance of being able to guarantee the reliable and safe delivery of medicines to ensure patients get the medicines they need at the right time. Royal Mail’s partnership with Pharmacy2U works in tandem with the focus it is bringing to local community pharmacies through Charac, the NHS-integrated, one-stop platform for independent community pharmacies. Charac provides community pharmacies with digital NHS prescription ordering and consultation capabilities.

Stefan Kulik, Managing Director of Royal Mail Health, said: “Royal Mail is one of the country’s most trusted institutions, so it makes sense for us to deliver prescriptions to the nation’s doorsteps. We want to help everyone across the UK access their health needs safely and conveniently, in whichever way they choose to.

“Pharmacy2U is an important partner for Royal Mail Health. Working together, we are ensuring that patients that want to order through online pharmacies can do so quickly and conveniently.”

Mark Livingstone, CEO of Pharmacy2U, said: “Since our launch in 1999, Pharmacy2U’s constant focus on innovation and customer excellence has seen us grow to become the UK’s largest online pharmacy. We’re always exploring new ways for our patients to better access their medication, conveniently and free of charge. Our partnership with Royal Mail is an exciting chapter in our growth, combining our award-winning customer service, industry-leading technology and clinical accuracy with Royal Mail’s vast network to offer communities across the country even greater accessibility and choice for their essential prescriptions.”

Source: Royal Mail Group