IRELAND’S first drive-thru pharmacy has opened in Co. Waterford – seven years after the concept was launched in Britain.
Mulligan’s Pharmacy in Ardkeen will operate a seven-day a week service at their new 3,000 sq ft development.
The pharmacy will create 12 new jobs – bringing the total number of employees in the family-run business to 160.
Patients can call or text their prescription to Mulligan’s, for pick up within a time frame convenient to them, reducing the waiting time when they arrive.
They then drive their cars - or mobility scooters - right up to the kiosk window, where they collect their medication without the unnecessary hassle of exiting the vehicle.
“It has always been our business philosophy to evolve and innovate and this step is certainly a first for the pharmacy industry in Ireland, but it is not a new shopping concept to consumers,” said Mulligan's director Ronan Mulligan.
“We have major plans to unveil even more technology to go in hand with this concept, via a smart phone app and E-commerce website, but this is all currently a work in progress," he added.
Though the development is the first of its kind in Ireland, Britain has had drive-thru pharmacies since 2008.
Boots in Colchester took over an old McDonalds restaurant when it opened the country’s first drive thru service, which proved popular with local patients.
The pharmacy chain has since opened two more drive-thru premises, located in Billingham and Northampton.
One of Mulligan's first drive-thru customers picking up his drive-thru order.