THE CO-OP is launching a new digital pharmacy, with medications to be delivered from the distribution centre at Lea Green.

The new Co-op Health app is the first in a series of digital developments from the Co-op’s new Health business as it looks to drive growth in online prescriptions.

And the Co-op will dispense medications ordered through the app, from its new pharmacy distribution centre in Lea Green.

Digital pharmacy currently accounts for less than one per cent of England’s £9bn prescription market, but is expected to grow significantly over the coming years.

Every year one billion prescriptions are dispensed in England, 80 per cent of which are repeat orders.

Following the acquisition of healthcare technology start-up, Dimec last year, the Co-op has created a new app which links patients directly to their GP surgeries, through its integration with the NHS, enabling patients to order medication in real time.

Meanwhile, the Co-op will also trial a 'click and collect' locker in the coming weeks, and those living in the Merseyside region will be able to collect repeat prescriptions safely and conveniently from secure lockers within the Co-op’s Fazakerly, Waterloo, Lowton and Widnes foodstores, by using a unique code or pin.

Later this year people will be able to book and manage their GP appointments via the app.

Tim Davies, managing director at Co-op Health, said: “The pharmacy sector is at the start of a digital revolution, as consumers increasingly look for more flexibility and convenience in accessing their medication.

“Our offer will give customers a range of ways to get hold of their medication, with the knowledge that the service is being provided by a brand they know and can trust, in a way that best suits them.

“This app is just the start for our Health business. We know 40 per cent of the financial burden on the NHS is due to preventable diseases, and as we grow our Health business we want to put the emphasis on proactive health care and empower people to take control of their own wellbeing.”

Steve Murrells, CEO of the Co-op, added: “The launch of Co-op Health takes us back into a sector we know well and one where our difference can be felt.

“By harnessing the power of our digital and physical assets, we will deliver a range of distinctive Co-op Health solutions that will benefit our members and their communities alike.”