Porter Pharmacy plan new robotic prescription hub in Portlethen

Porter Pharmacy has unveiled plans to create an ultra-modern centre near Portlethen – which will mean patients receive prescriptions much faster.

Andy and Lynne Porter, who run Porter Pharmacy, are eyeing a new site close to the A92 road between the town and Aberdeen.

The couple have eight branches including Westhill, Bridge of Don, Cove Bay and Holburn Street – and now want to keep up with rocketing demand.

Nestled within City South Business Park, the proposed new centre would make sure prescriptions reach patients faster than ever.

Andy and Lynne Porter who are preparing to future proof their business with their newest venture. Image: Scott Baxter/ DC Thomson.

Porter Pharmacy boss on how new Portlethen plans will make a difference

Andy told us how important the Portlethen location would be, near the road into Aberdeen and the AWPR.

He said: “We want to provide a good and timely service for getting prescriptions to patients, so that’s why we chose that site.

“All of the pharmacies we have are within a 15-minute drive.”

The move is expected to reduce backlogs at each pharmacy, which currently fill hundreds of prescriptions daily.

The new hub and clinic will be based at City South Business Park. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Andy said they will be investing heavily in the future of their service, including a state-of-the-art automated robot to help prevent medication mix-ups….

What’s this about a robot?

A prescription will be scanned at a Porter Pharmacy branch and sent to the distribution site, where the advanced robot sorts it.

A driver will collect prescriptions and deliver them to each pharmacy twice daily.

Pharmacies will still dispense urgent medication.

However, the new site will handle most repeat prescriptions, which account for 80% of their total.

Andy Porter has been mulling over the transition to a hub-and-spoke model for the business for some time. Image: Porter Pharmacy.

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How will this benefit patients?

Porter Pharmacy has been looking to transition to this sort of model for several years, with increased demand accelerating the process.

Andy said eliminating the time-consuming task of assembling repeat prescriptions will free up pharmacists to assist patients with health concerns.

Porter Pharmacies are looking to move into one of the new units at City South Business Park. Image: Dandara

He added: “The pharmacies in the communities are going to be much more freely available to help those who need it, because the NHS is transferring more services over to pharmacies.

“We can now prescribe for issues like chest infections and minor ailments.

“The way the NHS is going, more and more people are coming to their local pharmacist, who now has more free time as opposed to processing prescriptions.”

‘Demand has more than doubled’

Over the last two years, the NHS has given pharmacies greater powers to help ease pressure on hospitals and health clinics.

Andy said: “Within the last 24 months, the number of people coming to us at each of our pharmacies has more than doubled.

“I can only see it increasing further in the future.”

Work on the new Portlethen site is due to begin soon, if the plans are approved, with Andy predicting a three-month timeframe.

And what else is planned for the new centre?

Alongside the new distribution hub, there will be a private clinic offering services like weight loss management, women’s health services and ear wax removal.

And the couple are just getting started.

They plan to open up to four more pharmacies across the north-east by 2025.

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