Health-and-beauty retailer Mannings has partnered with seven Hong Kong public hospitals to allow local residents to collect their prescribed medicines at its in-store pharmacies in a significant pivot from their usual role. 

The company says the move is part of its broader Covid-19 initiative to provide peace of mind for its consumers by helping reduce the risk of infection from hospital visits.

Once patients have their application and prescription confirmed at a specialist out-patient clinic, the consumer can visit a registered pharmacist at a designated Mannings store to request collection. 

Mannings will charge HK$50 for medication collection and provide a consultation to review the patient’s medication history before assigning appointed personnel to collect the medicine from the public hospital to deliver back to the store. 

The seven hospitals are Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, United Christian Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital. 

The Mannings service is available only to patients at Specialist Out-Patient Clinics and for their regular medicine only. Refrigerated drugs or other medicines that require special handling are excluded.