How to Choose a Courier for a Pharmacy or Private Clinic in London

Start with accountability and proof

A medicine that leaves your premises should be traceable at every stage. Ask any courier how it records each handover, whether you can follow the job while it is moving, and what you receive when it is finished. If the answer is vague, treat that as information. Get a courier quote or see Healthcare logistics.

Look for chain of custody (a written record of who held the consignment and when), live tracking and a proof of delivery you can file. These are what you will reach for if a patient or colleague asks where something is.

What AGS provides: chain-of-custody documentation at every handover, plus tracking and photo proof of delivery.

Agree the handover

Medicines should be handed over at the registered pharmacy, to a driver you were expecting, at a time you agreed. Decide in advance who on your team hands the consignment over, and who is allowed to give the driver instructions.

Agree collection times that suit the dispensary’s workload. A driver who arrives while the team is mid-check creates avoidable risk, so it is worth settling a window when you book.

Match timing to the job

Urgent items and routine restocking need different services. A same-day run suits a prescription that cannot wait, while next-day suits planned stock moves and is usually better value.

Ask what the booking cut-offs are, and what happens if you miss them. Knowing the deadline in advance stops a late afternoon request becoming a missed delivery.

What AGS provides: same-day bookings by 3pm and next-day bookings by 5pm.

Ask about temperature

Some medicines travel at ambient temperature and some need to stay chilled at 2–8°C. Tell the courier which applies when you book, and ask how they keep and record it.

A courier that says it can handle chilled items should be able to show temperature records afterwards. If you cannot get a record, you cannot demonstrate the cold chain held.

What AGS provides: 2–8°C and ambient transport. Refrigerated vehicles carry calibrated temperature loggers, with data logs provided with every delivery. See our temperature-controlled delivery service for details.

Controlled drugs and paperwork

Controlled drugs need documentation that matches what is being moved. Ask the courier whether it accepts them, what paperwork it expects from you, and how it records the handover.

Do not assume every courier will take them. Confirm before the first job, and keep your own copy of the paperwork.

What AGS provides: controlled drugs (Schedule 2–5) can be transported with appropriate documentation, and drivers handling pharmaceutical consignments hold GDP awareness training certificates. More on our healthcare courier service.

Plan for failed deliveries and wrong recipients

Ask in advance what the driver does if nobody is available to receive the parcel. For medicines, leaving them with a neighbour or in a safe place is rarely appropriate, so find out whether the courier will return them to you or rebook instead.

Give the courier a named contact and a second number, and be clear about who may sign. Most wrong-recipient problems start with an unclear instruction at booking.

Check cover and terms

Ask what goods-in-transit cover is included, up to what value, and what is excluded. Read the exclusions, because they decide whether cover helps when you need it.

What AGS provides: goods-in-transit cover up to £10,000 (terms apply).

Protect patient confidentiality

Keep patient names and clinical details off labels that a driver, a neighbour or a receptionist can read. Use a reference number and put the detail in the paperwork your own team holds.

Ask the courier how it handles the information you do give it, such as recipient names and phone numbers, and who can see it.

A short checklist before you book

Use this list when you compare couriers. This is general guidance, not legal advice, and pharmacies should check current General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) guidance that applies to them.

• Do they record chain of custody at every handover?
• Can you track the job and get proof of delivery?
• Have you agreed the handover person and collection window?
• Do you know the same-day and next-day cut-offs?
• Can they carry ambient or 2–8°C items, and show temperature records?
• Will they take controlled drugs, and what paperwork do they need?
• What happens if nobody is there to receive the parcel?
• What cover is included, and what is excluded?
• Is patient information kept off visible labels?

Ready to compare options?

If you want to put these questions to AGS Traders, request a quote with your collection and delivery postcodes, the type of item and any temperature requirement, and we will confirm what suits the job.

Frequently asked questions