Community pharmacy is evolving rapidly. As patient demand increases and pharmacies deliver more clinical services than ever before, the way prescriptions are dispensed is also changing. One of the most significant developments in recent years has been the adoption of the ‘hub-and-spoke’ dispensing model.
At our Woodchurch Road Pharmacy and St Anne Street Pharmacy branches, we are embracing this modern approach through our collaboration with HubRx, helping us improve efficiency while allowing our pharmacists and team to focus more on patient care.
What Is the Hub-and-Spoke Model?
In simple terms, hub-and-spoke dispensing separates the technical assembly of prescriptions from the patient-facing services delivered in the pharmacy.
- The spoke pharmacy (your local pharmacy) receives the prescription and remains responsible for the patient.
- The prescription is sent to a centralised hub pharmacy, where automated systems and trained teams assemble the medication.
- The assembled medication is then returned to the spoke pharmacy for final checks and supply to the patient.
Recent Regulatory Changes in the UK
Historically, hub-and-spoke dispensing was only permitted within the same pharmacy company (for example, between branches of a large chain). This limited the ability of independent pharmacies to benefit from the model. However, recent regulatory changes have opened the door for independent pharmacies to collaborate with external hub providers.
From October 2025, legislation was updated to allow hub-and-spoke dispensing arrangements between different pharmacy businesses. These changes mean independent pharmacies can now legally partner with specialist hub dispensing providers while still maintaining responsibility for patient care.
Why this matters for patients
The hub-and-spoke model isn’t just about operational efficiency; it is about improving patient care. By centralising routine dispensing tasks, pharmacy teams gain more time to focus on services such as:
- Pharmacy First consultations
- Vaccination services
- Medication reviews
- Support for long-term conditions
- Advice and face-to-face healthcare support
As the NHS continues to rely on community pharmacies to provide more clinical services, this model helps pharmacists work more as accessible healthcare clinicians within their communities.
Our Collaboration with HubRx
At MoJo Pharmacies, we have partnered with HubRx; a specialist hub dispensing provider, to support this modern way of working. This collaboration allows us to improve the efficiency and consistency of prescription dispensing and reduce dispensing pressure within the pharmacy. It also allows us to maintain high levels of accuracy and safety, while allowing our team to focus on patient care and clinical services
Most importantly, your relationship remains with your local pharmacy team. We continue to perform the final professional checks and ensure your medication is supplied safely and correctly.
Hub-and-spoke dispensing represents an important step forward for community pharmacy. As patient demand grows and the role of pharmacists expands, new ways of working will help ensure pharmacies remain efficient, accessible, and focused on delivering high-quality healthcare. Modern systems and partnerships give our pharmacists more time to care for our patients
If you would like to know more about our pharmacy services or how we manage your prescriptions, please speak to a member of our team.