Originally published by Tech Crunch on April 26, 2022
Since the (relatively speaking) easing of the pandemic, pharmacies have come under increasing strain as people clamor for their drugs. This is particularly an issue in the U.K. where traditional mom-and-pop pharmacies have started to close and larger chains haven’t kept pace with demand. The problems are even leading to incidences of abuse by customers.
A new U.K. startup, PillSorted, thinks it has the answer by hooking directly into the U.K.’s NHS healthcare system to offer itself as a personalised pharamacy option, listed alongside local stores on GPs’ computers. It’s now raised $6 million in seed funding from Pear VC and Hoxton Ventures.
Founded in 2019 by former pharmacist Zeinab Ardeshir, PillSorted says it combines automation with a personalised service that arrives either via post or is delivered by its own delivery service.
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Ardeshir, CEO and co-founder, said in a statement: “The typical pharmacy experience has long been in need of an upgrade, and most pharmacists are bogged down by manual, repetitive tasks… Our service makes medication deliveries easier and our pharmacists are also able to review medication regularly.”
Pepe Agell, partner at Pear VC, said; “PillSorted leverages technology to fulfil and deliver pharmacy products while creating personalised and human-focused experiences.”
PillSorted will use the new funding to develop its product and expand its services within London and the U.K. It has also begun trialling the service to support care workers as part of an ongoing integration with social care.