AI-powered NHS pharmacy PillTime has introduced the launch of its Monitored Dosage System (MDS) hub to help neighborhood pharmacists.
On 1 October 2025, laws got here into impact permitting pharmacies to have interaction in ‘hub and spoke’ meting out throughout totally different authorized entities, that means that they’ll outsource their meting out, together with MDS companies.
Bristol-based pharmacy PillTime, which makes use of AI and robotics to pouch drugs, has rolled out a pilot programme permitting neighborhood pharmacies to trial an MDS partnership utilizing a choose variety of sufferers.
Sophie Bartlett, industrial director at PillTime, stated: “The approval of hub and spoke meting out throughout authorized entities is a once-in-a-generation alternative to reshape the way forward for neighborhood pharmacy, and we have now labored exhausting to make this a actuality.
“PillTime has labored tirelessly with our companions and policymakers to make this a actuality, and we’re proud to launch our MDS pilot to assist pharmacy leaders seize the advantages of this laws.”
This effort started in November 2024, when organisation representatives met with greater than 30 MPs, together with Labour MP for North Somerset, Sadik Al Hasson, a former pharmacist, to name for pressing motion.
A roundtable in December 2024 additional explored the results of delayed laws, bringing collectively pharmacists, pharmacy leaders, authorized consultants, MPs and distributors.
The necessity for reform was underscored by PillTime’s survey on MDS, which discovered that 83% of pharmacies provide MDS meting out, however 74% of companies report they’re already at full capability.
Almost half (47%) of pharmacy homeowners reported that they’re actively planning or researching outsourcing choices through hub and spoke fashions.
“Ahead-thinking pharmacy leaders, those who’ve already reworked their companies into environment friendly, patient-focused service suppliers, now have a possibility to reimagine their MDS.
“This programme is designed for individuals who see MDS not simply as a meting out activity, however as an expert responsibility of care to guard sufferers and ship on neighbourhood healthcare aims beneath the NHS 10 12 months plan,” Bartlett added.
In the meantime, in August 2024, NHS England signed a contract with CLEO Techniques for a stand-alone digital prescribing resolution, to be rolled out throughout pharmacies collaborating within the Unbiased Prescribing in Group Pharmacy Pathfinder Programme.
The purpose of the Pathfinder programme is to help unbiased prescribing for sufferers in main care, in preparation for September 2026 when all newly certified pharmacists might be registered as unbiased prescribers.
