Boots UK opened its first drive-through pharmacy last week, as managing director Alex Gourlay rejigged his top team to accelerate the integration of the former Boots the Chemists and Alliance Pharmacy businesses.

The retailer opened the drive-through in Colchester, Essex, on the site of a former McDonald’s, and Boots said the format has the potential to be rolled out.

Customers order their prescription at one window and collect it from a second. The drive-through can also manage repeat prescriptions.
Drive-through pharmacies are commonplace in the US and Boots hopes it will take off in the same way in the UK.

Boots healthcare development director Tricia Kennerley said: “Boots is leading the way for customers needing an accessible, professional and convenient health service to keep up with the pace of their lives. If this store proves as popular as we expect, we would consider other potential sites.”

Meanwhile, Boots UK has had a reshuffle to form a smaller operating committee in an effort to improve day-to-day operations while accelerating ideas and growth.

The operating team, led by Gourlay, consists of retail director Simon Roberts, operations director Ramon Mehra, marketing and trading director Elizabeth Fagan, finance director Paul Fussey and transformation director Ken Murphy. The supply chain team, headed by supply chain director Gavin Chappell, will join the operations team.

In parallel, Ian Filby has been appointed retail brand development director and Tricia Kennerley as healthcare development director. Filby will develop opportunities in products, brands and supplier relationships and Kennerley will drive longer term opportunities in healthcare services. Both will report to Gourlay.

Gourlay said: “These are exciting times for Boots UK and we want to ensure we’re positioned to maximise growth opportunities. The integration of our two businesses has been successful to date and this new structure will enable us to fully integrate the businesses even faster.”

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