Spotlight on The Care Pharmacy

On Thursday I had the pleasure of catching up with one of The Care Pharmacy’s Partners and Superintendent Pharmacist, Mohammed, to chat about their weight loss service. We caught up while running through a demo of what their new GPhC-compliant video chats look like for new customers, which I’ve shared more on below.

Overview; TLDR

If you don’t want to move around finding a new pharmacy every month, The Care Pharmacy offer a 5* service at one of the lowest average prices on the market. They’re fully supportive of maintenance plans and have a great webchat feature if you don’t like picking up the phone.

Consultation & Ordering

You’ll start your order process on the website, creating an account and filling out all relevant information. You can then highlight what time is best for your video consultation, and what technology you’d prefer to use. They’ve got lots of options including Zoom, Google Meet, FaceTime and WhatsApp, so just pick the one that works best for you.

As part of your order, you’ll need to provide:

1. A photograph of your ID
2. A full-length photograph, holding a dated piece of paper
3. A photograph of the number on the scales

During your video call consultation, the pharmacist will go through your responses to the questionnaire, clarify anything needed, and give you instructions on how to use the pen if it’s your first time. You’ll also need to verify your weight on the scales, and show yourself with your ID. This is only needed for new customers and is to ensure compliance with the new GPhC guidelines.

Re-ordering

You need to actively re-order each month and can choose to stay on the same dose or increase. You’ll get a reminder in plenty time, and if you’re not sure which dose to order, you can give the pharmacy a call to discuss, or get them via email, or webchat.

Do I need to move up a dose every 4 weeks?

Absolutely not, The Care Pharmacy promote the ability to adjust your dose at your own pace – with no mandate to move up each month. There are no automatic dose increases, and you can choose to stay on the same dose.

Support on Offer from The Care Pharmacy

The Care Pharmacy pride themselves on providing a 5* service and putting patients first. They adopt a transparent pricing policy which starts at £120 and caps out at £180, which is an absolute steal compared to your traditional pharmacies like Lloyds or Boots. They also offer a more personalised service and better support – with various contact options.

One of the main selling points is their webchat function! You can get really quick responses to any number of questions, and it’s from an actual person rather than a bot. However, they also have a phone line which is answered quickly, and you can get in touch with them by email too if you’d prefer.

What’s The Care Pharmacy’s approach to maintenance plans?

The Care Pharmacy are completely open to long-term use and maintenance plans, provided this is done safely and you maintain a BMI within the healthy range (above 19.5). There is no time limit, and patients can transfer to them from another pharmacy at any point in their journey.

Can I pick my delivery day with The Care Pharmacy?

Yes – just pop this on your order page if you have a day when you need it delivered. The default free delivery option is Royal Mail Tracked 24, but you can also choose to pay a bit extra and upgrade to Special Delivery before 1pm, or DPD.

FAQs

Is The Care Pharmacy legitimate?

The Care Pharmacy is regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Therefore, all the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians meet the standards for pharmacy professionals as set out by the GPhC.

Who runs The Care Pharmacy?

The Care Pharmacy branches are run by two superintendent pharmacists: Mohammed Ismail Lakhi, and Asam Bashir, both of whom are registered by the GPhC.

Where is The Care Pharmacy based?

The Care Pharmacy is an independent online-only pharmacy with branches in Bradford.