The long-awaited introduction of legislation enabling hub and spoke dispensing between pharmacies under different legal entities marks a pivotal moment for UK community pharmacy. After years of consultation, all operators, from large multi-entity groups to small independents, can now access the efficiencies and opportunities this model offers.
At its core, hub and spoke is not about cost cutting. Its real value lies in releasing capacity within pharmacies so teams can focus on patient-facing services. Evidence from early adopters shows that pharmacies can remove 50 to 60 percent of their total dispensing volumes, saving pharmacists an average of four hours per day. This time can be reinvested into clinical services, chronic disease support, and patient care, aligning directly with NHS long-term ambitions .
To help pharmacies understand their options, Centred Solutions has published Hub and Spoke Unpacked, a practical guide to the legislation and the new business models it enables. The guide outlines three routes now open to UK pharmacies:
- IntraGroup Model: allows multi-entity pharmacy groups or those with shared directors to centralise dispensing across all branches.
- ManagedService Model: enables hubs to provide assembly services to independent spokes outside their legal entity, with clearly defined contracts.
- JointVenture Co-operative Model: gives smaller independents the chance to collaborate locally, jointly investing in a hub to achieve economies of scale.
Success stories already show improved patient safety, reduced near misses, stock savings, and new revenue streams. Perhaps most significantly, hub and spoke is helping transform the role of pharmacists, placing them closer to the patients who need them most .
The opportunity is here. The framework is in place. For pharmacies ready to explore which model suits them best, Centred Solutions’ Hub and Spoke Unpacked provides clear, practical insight into structures, legal requirements, and operational considerations.
