How Does an Online Pharmacy Work?

What an Online Pharmacy Is

You may have recently seen lots of advertisements telling you all about an online pharmacy.  As most things are available to us with the click of a button now, I’m sure being able to order repeat prescriptions online is no surprise.  However, customers can use platforms such as RXLive who are changing the game with by moving their online pharmacy from being just a website to an app.  The RXLive pharmacy app allows users to order prescriptions on the move, but also video call a pharmacist for advice (coming soon)!

Electronic Prescription Service

So, how does it work?  An online pharmacy must be approved by the General Pharmaceutical Council and NHS to run.  This is to ensure that the online pharmacy can access your medical details as a normal customer facing pharmacy would.  Online pharmacies have really started to thrive due to the new NHS electronic prescription service (EPS) that allows doctors to send prescriptions to your pharmacist electronically.   EPS was introduced to make things faster for you and better for the environment.  The EPS system also means that you only should request your prescription from one place.

How Does It Work?

Once an online pharmacy has received your prescription request, the pharmacist is able to request it from your doctor through EPS.  Once the doctor has sent the EPS through to the pharmacy, your prescription is dispensed and sent out to you.  Most online pharmacy companies such as RXLive offer customers free delivery.  However, we recommend checking delivery times before ordering (RXLive deliver within 48 hours!).

The Future of Online Pharmacies

In terms of what the future holds for online pharmacies, this is an exciting time.  Firstly, you may begin to see a combination of online pharmacy services with online GP services.  Furthermore, as brands continue to grow, the faster delivery times will become.  If you would like to sign-up to a digital pharmacy,  you can visit RXLive and press ‘sign-up’ or ‘download app’ to get started!