Hub and spoke dispensing: consultation

This consultation seeks views and comments on proposals which will make changes to legislation to facilitate the use of hub and spoke dispensing between pharmacies of different legal entities. It includes proposals on 2 different models of hub and spoke dispensing.

SPS commentary:

Hub and spoke dispensing is where parts of the dispensing process are undertaken in separate pharmacy premises.

The two models are:

  • model 1, where the medicines are returned assembled from the hub to the spoke pharmacy before supply to the patient.
  • model 2, where the hub pharmacy supplies medicines directly to the patient.

 According to the Pharmaceutical Journal, the government has estimated that there could be a 40–50% time saving if pharmacies used a hub-and-spoke dispensing model, resulting in a net saving of £27.3m.

Department of Health and Social Care

Resource links:

Pharmaceutical Journal report