An Isle of Wight pharmacy in Cowes is the first in the UK to have two collection points, its manager said after the town’s mayor cut a ribbon to open the facility on Friday morning (30th January 2026).
Edward Lloyd of the Day Lewis branch on Cowes’s High Street said he hopes the new facility for picking up prescriptions means residents will not have to wait “at all” after use of the existing machine grew and grew, reaching full capacity.
It’s understood that around 2,500 patients regularly use the pharmacy’s first collection point which has received positive feedback and put an end to customers “queuing out of the door” to access medication.
Sign up via the website
Explaining how the new collection point works, Mr Lloyd said,
“It’s a case of signing up – on both the collection points there’s a little QR code people can scan with their phone, they can go on the Day Lewis website and select the Cowes branch, signing up that way, simply pop in and talk to us or phone us up.
“It’s just a tick box on their record to sign them up for all future prescriptions. There are some exceptions, like controlled drugs, and fridge items that can’t go in there and big bulky things.”
Ellis: I’m signed up to this myself
After opening the facility, Cowes Mayor Stuart Ellis said the town’s Day Lewis is a popular amenity among the community.
“Having this extra collection point to relieve some of the stress inside the store is fantastic.
“I’m signed up to this myself. For those who work, it means they can still collect their prescriptions even after the store has closed.
“And to be chosen as the first in the country to have two…that’s an even bigger tick for Cowes.”
Councillor Ellis said the facilities allow staff more time for other jobs such as talking to customers about their needs or carrying out blood pressure checks.
Amid a “big push for health and wellbeing”, he added that the branch has the “full support” of Cowes Town Council.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
