Community pharmacies continue to operate under sustained pressure, balancing rising patient demand with ongoing workforce and capacity challenges. While much attention is placed on dispensing volumes and clinical service delivery, one routine task often overlooked is over the counter ordering, a process that can quietly consume several hours each week.
PHOENIX has announced the launch of PHOENIXSpark, a new app designed to simplify and accelerate OTC ordering for pharmacy counter teams. Developed with input from Numark members, the tool aims to reduce administrative burden and free up valuable time during the working day.
Addressing a hidden workload pressure
In many community pharmacies, OTC ordering is completed alongside patient facing responsibilities. Counter teams frequently switch between serving customers, checking stock levels and compiling orders, often working from lengthy product lists or navigating multiple systems. The stop start nature of this process can lead to inefficiencies, particularly during busy trading periods.
Industry insight suggests that OTC ordering can take several hours each week in an average community pharmacy. At a time when teams are already stretched, even small gains in efficiency can have a meaningful impact.
PHOENIXSpark has been designed specifically for use on the shop floor. Using shelf edge scanning, staff can build orders in real time as they review stock, removing the need to search for product codes or return to a computer terminal. Out of stock items can also be flagged immediately, helping pharmacies maintain availability and minimise gaps on shelves.
Early feedback indicates that the app could save between two and four hours per week by reducing repeated manual steps and limiting interruptions during peak times.
Supporting operational efficiency
Rhys Martin, Head of Numark Proposition, said:
“OTC ordering is essential, but it is also one of those tasks that can quietly absorb a lot of time across a week. By reducing manual input and simplifying how orders are built, PHOENIXSpark is designed to support smoother day to day workflows in the pharmacy.
“Designed in collaboration with and for Numark members, the aim is to use technology to give teams back time. Time that can be better spent advising customers, supporting colleagues and keeping the pharmacy running effectively.”
The app integrates with Numark’s OTC Made Simple proposition, aligning ordering processes with broader category management and range decisions already adopted by many independent pharmacies.
Digital tools to support a changing sector
As community pharmacy continues to expand its clinical role while managing financial and workforce constraints, digital solutions that improve operational efficiency are becoming increasingly important. By targeting routine processes such as OTC ordering, tools like PHOENIXSpark aim to ease pressure on frontline teams and support better use of time across the working week.
For independent pharmacies in particular, where staffing structures are often lean, incremental efficiencies can translate into improved patient engagement and service delivery.
PHOENIXSpark represents the latest example of technology being deployed to support day to day pharmacy operations, helping teams focus on what matters most, patient care.
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