The British Sainsbury's, the large-scale distribution chain that controls around 140 pharmacies located in its shopping centres, will soon open its third general medicine clinic in the Newcastle-under-Lyme hypermarket. The specialized magazine Chemist and Druggist gave the news, citing sources from the English group. The Newcastle shopping center already had a nursing clinic in which a doctor periodically filled out prescriptions but the chain's goal is to repeat the success achieved with the first two medical offices (in Manchester and Lancashire), visited "by thousands of patients". Sainsbury's has also confirmed its intention to expand the "in-store" clinic model by offering hospitality to group medicines or to the activities of the Primary care trusts, the English Local Health Authorities. But the chain's projects look even further afield. Within the next year, in fact, the group will open its first hospital pharmacy: thanks to an agreement with a home care company and the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, Sainsbury will supply medicines to patients in dismissal through the district's "in-store" pharmacy. To this end, the pharmacy will practice longer opening hours and provide additional services to patients. In early November, Sainsbury's said its aim was to significantly increase its hospital services business to meet its 200% pharmacy earnings target over the next three years.
November 17, 2011 – Pharmacist33
