News Article

Leeds-based online pharmacy Pharmacy2U has entered the care home pharmacy sector through its acquisition of Care Quality Pharmacy (CQP), marking a strategic expansion into a growing healthcare market segment.

The deal represents Pharmacy2U’s first step into care home pharmacy services, acquiring one of the UK’s largest care home pharmacy providers.

Founded in 2013, Coventry-headquartered CQP provides prescription and NHS services to independent and national care home groups, extra care services, and domiciliary care agencies across England, Scotland and Wales. The company combines advanced dispensing technology with structured clinical governance and dedicated operational teams to deliver specialised services including electronic medication administration record charts, care planning integrations, and eLearning programs.

The acquisition targets a substantial market opportunity, with care home patients aged 65 and over in England receiving an estimated 42 million prescriptions at a drug cost of £410 million in 2024/25, representing an increase from 40 million items costing £396 million the previous year.

Pharmacy2U CEO Kevin Heath emphasised the strategic fit, stating that “care homes are responsible for an important portion of all prescription medications dispensed in the UK predicated on service quality and reliability, making the market a natural extension for Pharmacy2U”. Heath praised CQP’s team and expressed commitment to supporting continued service excellence for customers and patients.

The CQP acquisition follows a series of recent acquisitions for Pharmacy2U, including Lloyds Direct, Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor, The PharmPet Co, and Medicines Management Solutions, demonstrating the company’s aggressive expansion strategy across healthcare sectors. This move positions Pharmacy2U to capitalise on the growing demand for specialized pharmacy services in the care home market while leveraging its established online pharmacy infrastructure.