Agentis Health Group has acquired Clinical Pharmacist Solutions to strengthen its healthcare business and align with the 10-Year Health Plan’s shift towards community and preventative services.

The two CQC-registered businesses have a complementary heritage in providing pharmacy solutions to independent mental health hospitals and care providers, GP practices and primary care networks.

The acquisition will support investment in this business, while giving CPS access to Agentis’ Living With platform, a digital health solution used by 40 NHS trusts, community providers and ICBs to assess, manage and support patients living with long-term conditions.

Agentis Health Group chief executive Stephen Tuddenham said: “The acquisition of CPS is a re-affirmation of our commitment to combining the expertise of pharmacy professionals with innovative digital technology to improve efficiency, access, and outcomes.

“CPS is a quality organisation that has invested heavily in its academy to train pharmacists to deliver clinical services that support GPs and PCNs, and we are absolutely committed to that business.

“At the same time, we see a huge opportunity in helping primary care to deliver long-term condition management at scale, to support the NHS’ long-term policy agenda, and to assist patients improve their quality of life and care.”

Agentis Health Group has been founded on the established reputation of Ashtons Hospital Pharmacy Services.

Ashtons started as a high street pharmacy, and grew into a leading provider of medicines management and prescribing technologies for private mental health hospitals, hospices, specialist rehabilitation and complex care settings.

The group covers three core service areas: pharmacy, laboratories, and healthcare, and was formally launched in September last year, with its acquisition of Living With.

Living With has developed a digital health platform with a clinical dashboard and patient app that is used to deliver condition-specific therapeutics and remote patient support.

It is already in widespread use in the NHS to support the management of chronic conditions relevant to NHS primary care, including heart failure, lung conditions, and diabetes.

This combination of pharmacy expertise and digital innovation means Agentis can offer commissioners, PCNs, and GPs an end-to-end long-term conditions management service.
For example, it can monitor the symptoms of patients living with asthma, or COPD, and review their medications if they worsen, potentially preventing an unnecessary trip to urgent care or hospital services.

The acquisition of CPS strengthens this offer, as the NHS looks to develop neighbourhood health services, and to deliver on the aspirations of the 10-Year Health Plan to shift care from hospital to community and from treatment to prevention.

Stephen Tuddenham added: “There is a very close alignment in values and culture between Agentis and CPS. We are both committed to quality, to clinical excellence, and to patient focus, and we both see huge potential in digital, as long as it is used to extend human expertise.

“This acquisition underlines our aspiration to be one of the most innovative companies in the market, and one that is determined to bring digital innovators and clinicians together to serve healthcare.”

Clinical Pharmacist Solutions was founded in 2019 to support GPs and groups of practices with bespoke clinical pharmacy services.

It has created award winning training programmes for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, so they can deliver a comprehensive set of clinical services that improve efficiency, while ensuring excellent patient care.

Ruhina Kassam, Clinical Pharmacist Solutions chief executive, said she was looking forward to continuing to serve CPS’ existing customers, while exploring new opportunities to support GPs and practices.

“There is a genuine alignment of values and vision between Agentis and CPS. We are looking to deliver the same things – more efficiency, better outcomes, while ensuring that the human remains in digital healthcare.

“CPS customers can be assured that they will continue to work with an organisation that is committed to sustainable transformation, to quality, and to using excellent clinicians to deliver fantastic care.

“At the same time, being acquired by Agentis will give us access to digital technology that will enable us to develop new services that complement our existing offer. This is a very exciting time. I can’t wait to show customers how we can help working in partnership with them.”