New owners of bust pharmacy automation company saddled with outstanding orders

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New owners of bust pharmacy automation company saddled with outstanding orders

UPDATE: This story was updated on Friday September 6 to reflect that Farmadosis bought the MedPoint brand and not its former owner, Medicines Collection Limited – meaning Farmadosis has, in its words, "no obligation" to the customers whose contracts have not been honoured. 

Exclusive: P3pharmacy understands that the liquidation and subsequent takeover of a company that manufactures automated prescription collection units for pharmacies has left a number of customers in limbo as units they have paid for are yet to arrive. 

Scottish company MedPoint, which received money from the governmental fund for start-ups Innovate UK, was recently taken over by Spain-based multinational Farmadosis SL, which operates in Northern Ireland as Edia Health.  

In August this year, a provisional liquidator was appointed by Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to wind up MedPoint owners Medicine Collection Limited, which according to accounts published in March had net liabilities of £900,670 as of June 30, 2023. 

The MedPoint website indicates that its units were operating in over 70 locations including community pharmacies, hospitals and dispensing GP surgeries. The company’s listed collaborative partners included the National Pharmacy Association, Alphega Pharmacy, Scottish buying group Edinpharm, Titan PMR and pharmacy services app Healthera.

Speaking to P3pharmacy, a spokesperson for Edia Health confirmed that there are a number of “inherited issues” regarding MedPoint customers but did not confirm how many pharmacies are affected or the amount of money they may have paid for orders that have yet to be honoured. P3pharmacy understands the costs of a MedPoint unit can run to tens of thousands of pounds. 

“We have made contact with all affected customers and we are engaging in conversations with them all, meeting most of them in the coming weeks,” the spokesperson said.

“We are proposing tailored solutions for every case trying to reach a beneficial agreement for all involved."

The spokesperson clarified that Farmadosis/Edia bought the MedPoint brand and not the company Medicines Collection Limited, commenting that this meant "we have no obligation with any of the unfulfilled purchases as we haven't legally inherited them... [we will] try and help them to the best of our ability".

P3pharmacy has seen what appears to be a message notifying existing MedPoint customers of the takeover, stating: “Most of the current team at MedPoint has transferred across and you will be dealing with the same familiar faces you have dealt with up until now.  

“Your maintenance and support contract has been transferred to the new company and our engineers will be looking after your machine as we have always done.”

Medicine Collection Limited was approached for comment. 

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