EPOS and stock systems
Tills, stock control and supplier ordering, with the hardware and network behind them.
Speciality
IT Support for Pharmacies
IT support for pharmacies and pharmacy groups: tills, smartcards, label printers and an internet connection that stays up, because when they stop, you cannot dispense.
A pharmacy is a shop and a clinical service under one roof, and both depend on IT. When a till fails you lose a sale. When the internet fails you lose access to NHS systems, and you cannot dispense at all.
QLine IT has provided dedicated pharmacy IT support since 2023 and works with several pharmacy groups, from single branches to groups with sites across the country. We understand the pressures that are specific to pharmacy: smartcard security, printers that cannot fail, and data protection obligations beyond those of an ordinary retailer. Contracts start from £130 a month for five computers.
What we look after in a pharmacy
NHS smartcards and access
Smartcard readers, software and the procedures that keep patient data protected.
Label and prescription printers
Printer faults treated as high priority, with redundancy so one fault never stops the counter.
Internet with 4G failover
Fibre with automatic 4G backup, so NHS services stay reachable when the line drops.
Data protection
Encryption, two-factor sign-in and monitored networks to meet UK GDPR and NHS requirements.
Phones and scanners
Mobile device management for the phones, tablets and scanners used to track stock.
EPOS and stock systems
Most pharmacies run a sector-specific EPOS system that handles the till, stock levels and supplier orders. In a group, price changes, ordering and end-of-day figures can be managed centrally through one online portal. We have supported a range of pharmacy EPOS systems and provide the hardware and networking they run on.
Computer security and NHS smartcards
Prescription data is confidential, so access must be limited and monitored. Smartcards, VPNs and fixed IP addresses all need to be in place and working. We supply smartcard readers, set up the software behind them, and put in the procedures that keep patient data protected. Our work with children's homes, where data security is just as strict, carries straight across.
Printers that cannot fail
Printers are easy to overlook until they stop. Label printers are needed to dispense, and A4 printers are needed for tokens and prescriptions. If either fails, the pharmacy cannot dispense. We treat every printer fault as high priority, and recommend a spare printer set up and ready, so one fault never stops the counter.
Internet with automatic failover
Prescription services run in a web browser, so when the internet fails, access to NHS systems fails with it. We use Teltonika routers to provide fibre with 4G failover: if the main line drops, the 4G connection takes over within seconds. A VPN provides the fixed IP address NHS systems require, so the pharmacy stays connected either way. More about 4G backup.
Data protection
Pharmacies are covered by UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act, with NHS requirements on top. We encrypt computers, add two-factor authentication to sign-in, and monitor the network, router and Wi-Fi, so access is controlled and a theft or break-in does not become a data breach.
Phones, tablets and scanners
Medicines on site and in transit are often tracked with phones, inventory apps and barcode scanners. Our mobile device management controls what can be installed, stops data being exported, and can locate a lost device, which also supports GDPR compliance.
Case studies
Upgrading IT infrastructure for a pharmacy group: computers across several sites rebuilt on Windows 11, encrypted and set up for NHS-connected systems with minimal downtime.
IT support for newly acquired pharmacies: branches bought from another company with all the IT removed, equipped from scratch with new PCs, label and A4 printers, smartcard readers, and internet and Wi-Fi with a fixed IP address at each site.
Questions we're asked
How much does IT support cost for a pharmacy?
Full IT support is £26 per computer a month plus VAT, with a minimum of five computers, so £130 a month for five. Hardware and projects are quoted separately. See our pricing.
Can you support pharmacies in more than one location?
Yes. We support pharmacy groups with sites across the country. One contract covers every site, and most support is delivered remotely.
What happens if our internet goes down?
With 4G failover, a mobile connection takes over within seconds, and a VPN keeps the fixed IP address NHS systems need.
Do you supply hardware?
Yes: computers, smartcard readers, printers, routers and networking. Everything we supply carries at least a 12-month warranty. See hardware provision.
Keep the counter running
Tell us how many branches and computers you have, and we will come back with a fixed monthly price.
Speciality
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