Dozens of London pharmacies have signed up to a new app allowing them to send vital products to vulnerable people.
The bgX app uses riders and cyclists who normally work for food delivery services to despatch orders for products such as paracetamol, protective gloves and facemasks, and hand sanitisers to customers.
Deliveries are made within an hour from a pharmacy within a five-mile radius. A flat £5 fee is charged, on top of the normal in-store cost of the items sent out.
The app can be used to order deliveries to elderly relatives or friends who are not comfortable with technology. It is hoped the service will be extended to prescriptions and coronavirus antibody tests when they become available.
The app was originally set up to deliver beauty products from parlours around London.
Chief executive and co-founder Ali Rafi said: “We want to help the elderly and those with underlying health issues to get their pharmacy products safely and quickly without having to go to their local chemist and potentially mixing with other people.
“This way we can help pharmacies do their amazing job keeping the UK public healthy, and also take away some of the pressure on local pharmacy staff who currently do not have adequate PPE equipment.”
So far around 50 pharmacies, mainly in central London, are signed up and it is hoped the service can be rolled out nationwide.
