Super Tax Deduction Scheme

Make the Govt’s Super Deduction Scheme work for your pharmacy before it ends in March 2023

What is it all about?

The UK Government’s decision to extend its Super Deduction Scheme until March 2023 offers the chance for retail pharmacists to catalyse their journey towards automation. The Scheme was introduced to incentivise companies to invest in qualifying assets that will benefit business growth which includes machinery.

With a growing realisation among pharmacists that the opportunities offered by automated systems to streamline admin processes, improve service levels and enhance the patient experience – the Scheme is too good to ignore!

In terms of the figures, this ‘tax relief’ scheme effectively allows pharmacies to secure a 24.7% discount on their capital outlay (130% of the equivalent corporation tax allowance).

How can it benefit my pharmacy?

Different pharmacies, from independent to multiples, those in main cities to rural settings all have the same drivers for automation; the challenge of chronic staff shortages faced across the sector, and now more than ever the increasing pressure from the sheer scale and complexity of medication regimes.  These mean that many pharmacies are unable to meet the demand for extending their services to the community and take advantage of additional revenue streams which is essential under the current PSNC remuneration contract.

Automation provides pharmacies with the opportunity to significantly improve productivity, eliminate dispensing and picking errors, and free staff from mundane, repetitive tasks, enabling patients to be put at the centre of care.

What type of automation is suitable for my pharmacy?

The automation hardware most commonly acquired by pharmacies for their initial investment tends to be robotic dispensing systems (RDS) for original pack dispensing and Monitored Dosage System (MDS) automation.

Recently, we have also seen a surge in demand for patient prescription collection kiosks – these free up a huge amount of counter time. The result is a much better patient experience, reduction in queuing times and the convenience for patients of being able to collect their prescriptions 24/7.

For those pharmacies who have been grappling with the idea of investment, there is no better time while the Government’s scheme is still available. Why not talk to a member of our team about how automation can help your business?

Case study:

Stuart Burns, a pharmacist at Toll Pharmacy in Prestwick, Scotland, took the decision to invest in robotic technology earlier this year, the integration of which has enabled him to have a larger stock holding that can be easily managed through a PMR system to improve stock management.

 “Stock shortages is one of the most common frustrations among pharmacists generally; the new automated system has significantly helped us with this. While the implementation process itself is costly, the time saved allows my pharmacy team to focus on more important tasks, such as other services, and allowing for more in-depth consultations with patients.

“I firmly believe that robotic technology is the future for pharmacies. Key is how it will enable us to better manage our workload and allow our focus to shift from being simply product-focused to a more direct, services-orientated experience for our patients.”