We are pleased to announce that Healthera has been awarded grant funding by Innovate UK to build a quick and simple local medicine delivery platform, from pharmacies directly to patients.
In a highly competitive bid, Healthera has answered the funding body’s calling for building sustainable innovation that aids the nation in COVID-recovery.
Under the pandemic, it’s critical that vulnerable patients can access their vital life-saving medications in a timely manner without needing to step into a pharmacy. While there are a number of online pharmacies that offer nation-wide delivery through the post, they cover barely 2% of the total market as they are limited by capacity.
The obvious answer is in the network of local pharmacies that Healthera already works with. With our network of over 1000 pharmacies, around 40 million patients are within 5 miles of a Healthera pharmacy. Over 75% of these pharmacies already have delivery resources. The project will focus around streamlining the delivery experience and making it available to the whole nation through the pharmacy’s own delivery resources when it’s available, and elsewhere through third-party same day couriers.
Lily Tang, who oversees the Innovate UK collaboration at Healthera, has commented:
“We are delighted to be working with Innovate UK and our incredible partner pharmacies to introduce local same-day delivery. We have seen this revolution in virtually all consumer industries, such as with food delivery, and it only makes sense that patients receive the same quality of service for their medicines.”
Background
Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, is investing up to £191 million to fund single and collaborative research and development projects as part of the Sustainable Innovation Fund over the next two years. The aim of these competitions is to help all sectors of the UK rebuild after the effects of COVID-19.
The Sustainable Innovation Fund is funding 1,103 projects, 1069 UK businesses and totalling over £130 million in support across the UK.
Innovate UK Executive Chair Dr Ian Campbell said:
“In these difficult times we have seen the best of British business innovation. The pandemic is not just a health emergency, but one that impacts society and the economy.
“Healthera’s innovative concept of providing same-day medication delivery via a mobile app through a network of local pharmacies, along with every initiative Innovate UK has supported through this fund, is an important step forward in driving sustainable economic development. Each one is also helping to realise the ambitions of hard-working people.”
