Morrisons yesterday (January 2) announced the launch of the “Morrisons Clinic”, an “online private prescription service” that delivers medication “straight to [a patient’s] door without a GP appointment”.
The service was introduced in partnership with digital pharmacy Phlo and provides “on-demand healthcare delivered to customers at their convenience”, the supermarket said.
Read more: Tesco launches ‘health zone’ pilot to expand pharmacy services
According to Morrisons, it allows patients in England to access their medication “quickly, discretely and safely”.
And it offers support for health conditions including menopause, hay fever, acne, daily and emergency contraceptives, hair loss, erectile dysfunction and weight loss, it said.
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Customers will be asked to complete an online questionnaire to “assess their suitability for the medication”, the supermarket added.
“A comprehensive review will then be carried out by healthcare professionals at Phlo, who will dispense the prescription if it is deemed suitable,” it said.
Once the prescription is approved, it is sent out via Royal Mail’s next-day delivery service “directly to the customer’s door”, Morrisons added.
“Increase access to healthcare”
Morrisons head of services John Parry acknowledged “how frustrating it can be waiting to see your GP for an appointment” and said he is “delighted” by the launch of the new clinic.
“Our customers will now be able to order medication for a number of different health and lifestyle conditions quickly and conveniently, all at competitive prices,” he said.
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And Phlo chief commercial officer Adam Hunter said that the new service was “designed to increase access to healthcare for patients across the UK”.
He added that the service is an example of “patient-centric solutions that make it easier for people to manage their health”.
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Meanwhile, Tesco announced the launch of a “dedicated health zone” in November to expand pharmacy services and provide customers with “easy and convenient” healthcare while they shop.
The supermarket chain partnered with healthcare companies including Bupa and Haleon to provide virtual GP appointment and weight management support, among other services.
Read more: Extra £9m cash injection for growing Glasgow digital pharmacy Phlo
In April, Phlo announced that it had secured a further £9 million in investment to help expand its “footprint” across the UK, after announcing a £10m cash injection in February 2023.
Back in 2020, C+D reported on Phlo’s extraordinary crowdfunding push, when it raised £1.65m within a day of launching its campaign.
