RDC Feature in Scottish Pharmacist – March 2019
Michael McLaren has owned and operated Clan Chemists with his wife Tracey for many years and it is a firm fixture in the Clydebank community, located within the popular Rockbank Place shopping complex. When the property next door became available, Michael and Tracey decided to use it as an effective extension to their existing premises.
Michael commented:
“We had been thinking about automation for a while and decided to take the plunge after visiting another pharmacy who had recently installed a BD Rowa robot. They had worked with Retail Design Consultants on the necessary design adaptations to accommodate automation. We wanted the robot to be clearly visible to our customers as we were keen to demonstrate our adoption and incorporation of leading-edge technology within the pharmacy.”
The retail area of the existing pharmacy was refurbished in recent years. Retail Design Consultants used their planning and design expertise to advise where to position the BD Rowa to service the enlarged dispensary and create the best view for customers by designing a floor to ceiling glazed viewing window to witness the robot in action.
Michael continued “The robot has certainly created a buzz amongst customers and it is a real talking point. Some people get quite mesmerised watching the robot go about its work.”
A structural wall separated the existing pharmacy from the new unit and Retail Design Consultants obtained all the necessary building warrants and permissions to open up the wall to construct an area with a viewing window to look into the BD Rowa. There is also access from this area to an additional large consultation room.
Terry Cuthill of Retail Design Consultants, commented:
“We created the optimum design from the available space, making structural changes where necessary and positioning the robot in the most effective way to service the newly extended dispensary to maximise efficiency from automation.
“We made sure that our layout design for the extended area placed the BD Rowa in the position that allowed it to service all areas of the dispensary and the new consultation room to be easily accessible. We refitted the existing and extended dispensary areas, working very closely with Tracey and Michael to create exactly what they wanted their new dispensary to deliver.
“We redesigned the extended façade to include new contemporary graphics, detailing all the services available at the pharmacy.”
“The success of our work is dependent on great collaboration and communication from everyone involved in the project. There was as little disruption as possible throughout the whole project, making sure the dispensary continued to function while the building works were completed and the robot was installed.
Michael concluded:
“We are really glad we partnered with Retail Design Consultants in the design process. When we decided to install automation, we knew we had to work with a company who had design expertise in the logistics and challenges involved with installing pharmacy automation. Confidence and trust are an absolute necessity when undergoing such a project and we were delighted that everything went to schedule and as planned.”