The practice dispenses medication for patients living in surrounding villages, they must live at least 1 mile from nearest community pharmacy to qualify as a dispensing patient.
The practice provides dispensing through Hengate Pharmacy and does not stock medication within the practice. The practice is known as a Hybrid Dispensing Practice using community pharmacy to purchase drugs and dispense on their behalf under a wholesale dealers licence issued by the MHRA. CQC are aware of this arrangement.
Hengate Pharmacy can deliver medication on behalf of the practice for dispensing patients, if the patient chooses to use the dispensing service offered by the practice.
Hengate Pharmacy is a separate entity to the Surgery and is managed by the Superintendent Pharmacist – Andre Amaral.
Hengate Pharmacy was originally established by some of the GP Partners of the practice that have since retired, and currently shareholders include existing and retired GP partners along with 2 Pharmacists. There is no controlling shareholder for Hengate Pharmacy as none of the directors / shareholders own more than 25% of the business.