Community pharmacy in Scotland

The evolution of pharmacy Supporting you and your evolving business

Contents

Optum in numbers ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3 Introducing Optum ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������4-5 The evolution of pharmacy �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������6-7 Expanding roles, embracing technology ������������������������������������������������������8-9 Delivering a new service-led �����������������������������������������������������������������������������10-11 business model ProScript Connect ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������12-13 How ProScript Connect helped Islay Pharmacy �����������������������������������14-15 Unlocking efficiencies ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������16-17 Patient Access �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������18-19 Empowering your teams ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������20-21 Helping you grow ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������22-23

Over 20 years supporting community pharmacies providing you with stability and reliability

Around 1.6 million items processed per day by pharmacy teams using ProScript Connect®

#1 pharmacy system 45% use ProScript Connect

#1 independent patient services app with over 18 million registered users of Patient Access® in the UK

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Introducing Optum

#1 clinical system supplier in:

At Optum, our mission is clear: helping people live healthier lives and helping make the health and care system work better for everyone. Bringing together advanced data and technology capabilities, deep clinical and industry expertise, along with our cross-industry relationships, we’re helping our customers tackle healthcare’s biggest challenges. We enable clinicians to operate at the highest level of their expertise by reducing administrative burdens, streamlining workflows, and providing intelligent decision support. We’re supporting the delivery of care through great technology, enabling neighbourhood working and the shift to prevention, optimising medicines, and driving equitable and ethical clinical research.

Primary care used by 4,600+ GP practices.

A&E acute care used by 30 trusts.

Community pharmacy used by 5,700+ pharmacies.

#2 clinical system supplier in:

Community care used by 37 trusts.

Acute hospital pharmacy used by 63 hospital pharmacies.

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For over 20 years, we’ve been helping UK community pharmacies thrive and deliver better patient care. As services expand and challenges evolve, we’ve been there to support our customers in navigating change and embracing new ways of working. Shifting to a service-led model for triage and clinical care is essential for aligning with NHS Scotland priorities and strengthening your role at the heart of community healthcare, whilst also unlocking new revenue streams. Success in this evolving landscape depends on the right technology. Our industry-leading solutions are designed with input from frontline pharmacists and customers, ensuring they meet your needs. Discover how our solutions can help you to transform your service model and take your pharmacy to the next level. The evolution of pharmacy

Drive profitability Deliver new services and unlock additional revenue streams, whilst continuing to provide essential dispensing capability.

Engage customers Boost engagement and loyalty with our patient-focused technology.

Unlock efficiencies Save time and create more capacity for patient services with efficient workflows and smart features.

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Expanding roles, embracing technology Scotland’s community pharmacy sector is evolving, creating new opportunities beyond traditional dispensing. As healthcare needs shift and funding models adapt, pharmacies are better-placed to deliver more accessible, preventative and patient-centred care. Pharmacists are also being increasingly recognised for their clinical expertise. From independent prescribing to the success of Pharmacy First, the provision of services offered by community pharmacists is only set to expand as they provide a growing role in early intervention and illness prevention.

Technology is helping drive this shift. Digital tools are making it easier for patients to get the care they need, while improving how pharmacies work with GPs and other services. Smarter dispensing systems, better use of data and the rollout of Hub and Spoke models are all helping to manage workload and free up time for patient care. With the right support, these changes can unlock even more potential across the sector. Together, these developments mark a turning point — giving community pharmacy the chance to lead the way in delivering joined-up, forward-thinking healthcare across Scotland.

Sima Jassal, Clinical Director, Optum

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Delivering a new service-led business model Pharmacies are adapting every day to meet growing patient needs and rising pressures on healthcare services. To stay ahead, it’s vital to have the right tools in place — ones that save time and support effective patient care. Our systems go beyond traditional dispensing, offering practical solutions that help you respond to demand, streamline operations and deliver better outcomes. We’ll work with you to unlock your pharmacy’s full potential — helping you grow your business, year after year.

Supporting your day-to-day operations with seamless dispensing, intelligent workflow modules and a configurable set up. ProScript Connect

Patient Access

Driving footfall into your pharmacy with our Patient

Access for Professionals feature, connecting you to a user base of over 18 million patients.

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ProScript Connect

Our ProScript Connect Patient Medication Record (PMR) software is designed to empower busy community pharmacy teams to deliver exceptional patient care while seamlessly managing the day-to-day needs of their business. As the leading platform of choice for community pharmacies across the UK, ProScript Connect supports over 5,700 pharmacies with their everyday operations. When it comes to enabling seamless dispensing, our technology has you covered, offering configurable set up and intelligent workflow modules.

Click here to find out more

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Case study

How ProScript Connect helped Islay Pharmacy to work smarter, faster and safer With over 30 years of experience, Superintendent Pharmacist and owner Lisa Simpson leads Islay Pharmacy in serving around 4,000 patients on the Scottish Isle of Islay — a number that can rise sharply during tourist season. Working on a rural and remote island brings its own unique challenges — from managing emergency supplies for visitors without their usual medication, to relying on paper prescriptions, juggling a small team and training new staff, all whilst delivering safe, accurate care. Since switching to ProScript Connect, Lisa and her team have seen a real improvement in how they manage day-to-day pharmacy tasks. The system’s clear, single-screen layout means they no longer need to jump between tabs or dig through paperwork, making everything from labelling to record-keeping quicker and more accurate.

Most importantly, ProScript Connect keeps all patient records in one place, so whether it’s a counselling note, an incident report or an emergency supply for a tourist, the team can access and update information with confidence. Lisa says it’s helped improve safety, save time and support her team more effectively — showing that even in remote settings, the right system can make a big difference.

Click here to read the full story

“ I’ve used a lot of systems over the years. ProScript Connect stood out because of its clarity and functionality. Everything is on one screen — it’s easy to teach, easy to use and easy to trust.”

Lisa Simpson, Superintendent Pharmacist and owner of Islay Pharmacy

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Unlocking efficiencies We understand how important it is to free up time from the dispensing bench. Our built-in tools can help manage your team’s workload effectively, so you can spend less time on admin and more time on patient care. Your pharmacy can access additional features within our core systems, helping you to streamline workflows and drive efficiency.

Supporting features in ProScript Connect

Instalment Dispensing (ID) Dispense, manage and endorse prescriptions for patients who need their medication supplied in instalments. Offers flexibility to suit different needs and helps manage changing doses safely.

Prescription Tracking Manager Keep track of prescriptions with a central digital record. Simple filters and clear status updates help your team find items quickly, improving handovers and keeping the dispensary organised.

Electronic Controlled Drug Register (eCDR) Save time on controlled drug records with a digital register that auto-populates in real-time — helping to reduce errors and improve compliance.

ScriptCheck Streamline repeat dispensing by automating clinical check validation. Prescriptions are only flagged if there’s been a change in medication or patient details within the past 12 months.

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Patient Access

“ PA Pro has helped us to promote our services on line, bringing more pa tients through the door and improving access to healthcare.” Elham Nateghpour , Superintendent Pharmacist, Kentish Town and Camden High Street pharmacies

Patient Access is the UK’s leading independent patient services app, supporting its 18 million users across the UK with a digital front door into both HSC and private healthcare services. With our Patient Access for Professionals (PA Pro) feature, you get an interactive booking system to offer consultations for local patients. This makes it easier to promote your services, boost your business profits, and attract new customers. Patients can easily book face-to-face appointments with your pharmacy through the app or website, potentially reducing your external marketing costs and allowing patients to see all the services you have to offer.

Click here to find out more

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Empowering your teams Training team

Optum Help Centre Our online customer portal holds invaluable resources, including module tours, interactive training, webinar recordings and much more. Optum Help Centre is a customer-focused service that allows pharmacies to log and track support tickets and receive regular updates on their cases.

Accredited with LPIs Gold Standard, our training team deliver market leading training and system optimisation to ensure you can make the most of our products and services. Whether you’re a new or existing customer, our transformation specialists can work with you to help shape your service and ensure you’re making the most of the functionality within ProScript Connect. Talk to us to find out how the team can help you to create local Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), as well as helping you to maximise efficiencies to save both time and money. We’ll work with you to identify and recommend time-saving quick wins using smart configuration and advanced functionality in ProScript Connect, to unlock significant benefits for your pharmacy.

Click here to visit Optum Help Centre

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Helping you grow As the role of pharmacy continues to evolve, so do our systems. We’re here to support you as your business grows, with trusted, forward-thinking solutions that help you meet today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow. We’re enhancing how we deliver our services by bringing together our core systems into a single, streamlined experience. With everything you need to run an efficient and successful pharmacy, we’re helping you do more with less — freeing up time to focus on what matters most. EMIS-X® is our next-generation technology platform, built to deliver faster innovation, smarter analytics and a more connected experience across healthcare. By integrating EMIS-X into ProScript Connect, we’re improving performance, enabling seamless data flow and unlocking powerful insights to help you make confident decisions and deliver value-added services with minimal disruption.

We’re also expanding our partner network — working with leading healthcare technology providers to bring you new tools and services that support your goals. Together, we’ll make sure you have the right solutions in place to thrive. We’re excited about the future of community pharmacy. With decades of experience supporting our customers, our dedicated team will be with you every step of the way — helping you build a stronger, more connected pharmacy for the years ahead.

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Get in touch

If you’d like to find out more about how our products can support you, speak with your local account director today, or get in touch at:

uk.communitypharmacy@optum.com

optum.co.uk/tech-enabled-services

Egton Medical Information Systems Ltd (t/a Optum) is a company registered in England and Wales. Registered number: 02117205. Registered office: Fulford Grange, Micklefield Lane, Rawdon, Leeds, LS19 6BA. © 2025 Optum. All rights reserved.