PHOENIX Medical Supplies

What PHOENIX Medical Supplies does

PHOENIX Medical Supplies Limited is a UK healthcare service provider headquartered in Runcorn, Cheshire, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the pan-European PHOENIX Group (headquartered in Germany). Founded in 1998, the company operates an integrated pharmaceutical wholesale and retail pharmacy platform delivering 186 million packs of medicines annually to over 6,700 community pharmacies, dispensing doctor practices, and outpatient sites across the UK. It also reaches 20 million patients annually through 350+ directly managed Rowlands Pharmacy branches (the UK's longest established pharmacy chain, founded 1810) and provides dispensing services for 38 million prescriptions and 300,000 clinical services each year. Underlying infrastructure consists of 12 MHRA-accredited distribution depots delivering 14,500 average daily deliveries, with 7.7 million lines picked per month. The group operates entirely on physical logistics infrastructure, regulatory compliance (MHRA, ISO Quality and Environmental standards, UK GDPR), and contractual relationships — there is no disclosed proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or public-facing API.

The company monetises across six distinct revenue streams: pharmaceutical wholesale distribution through PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution (transaction-fee based on volume moved through the depot network); retail pharmacy operations via Rowlands' 350+ branches (transaction fees from prescription dispensing and OTC/retail sales); subscription/recurring membership fees from Numark's nearly 6,000 independent pharmacy members; subscription/recurring fees from PSUK (serving 80% of UK dispensing doctor practices); parallel importation margins through Nupharm (sourcing from 16 EU countries); and Dispensing Appliance Contract revenue via NuCare (incontinence, ostomy, wound care, compression therapy). Its customer base spans the NHS and UK hospitals (1,275 hospital customers served by PHOENIX Hospital Solutions), dispensing doctor practices, 5,800+ independent pharmacies, and 400+ manufacturer partners (including 25+ sole-distributor relationships). The company has no external shareholders, no public listing, no disclosed venture or private equity backing, and is entirely owned within the PHOENIX Group conglomerate.

Name

PHOENIX Medical Supplies

Legal name

Phoenix Medical Supplies Limited

Website

https://phoenixmedical.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

PHOENIX Medical Supplies Limited is a UK pharmaceutical wholesaler and retail pharmacy operator (Rowlands, Numark, PSUK, Nupharm, NuCare) that distributes 186 million medicine packs annually through 12 depots to 6,700+ pharmacies and 350+ directly managed branches, reaching 20 million patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Wholesale and Retail Pharmacy

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421), Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Supplies & Consumables Wholesale (Non-Device) (CRAOAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pharmacy & Health Essentials Delivery (CRAFAFAI), Home Healthcare & DME Delivery (Oxygen, Supplies) (TLAAAIAE)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical wholesale distribution
• Community pharmacy retail
• Pharmacy membership services
• Parallel drug importation
• Primary care dispensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Runcorn

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Wholesale Distribution: PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution operates as a national, full-line pharmaceutical wholesaler with comprehensive 'Four Nation' coverage across the UK. Their network of 12 strategically located depots ensures daily delivery needs are met with speed and reliability.
2. Retail Pharmacy Operations: Rowlands Pharmacy operates over 350 community pharmacies directly managed, generating revenue through prescription dispensing and retail pharmacy sales. The UKs longest established chain of community pharmacies, first established in 1810.
3. Pharmacy Membership Services: Numark provides membership services to independent pharmacies offering enhanced buying power, expert support, and commercial solutions. Represents nearly 6,000 members from single independent pharmacies to groups of more than 100 branches.
4. Primary Care Services: PSUK is the largest dispensing doctor membership organisation in the UK and the largest pharmaceutical supplier to prescribing only practices in England and Wales.
5. Parallel Importation: Nupharm operates as a wholly owned subsidiary focused on purchasing and importing medicines from other EU countries, reducing the drugs bill for the NHS through parallel importation.
6. Dispensing Appliance Contract: NuCare works in partnership with pharmacies, GPs and nurses to support patients with a full range of incontinence, ostomy and wound care services and products.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PHOENIX Medical Supplies is a UK healthcare services provider that distributes pharmaceuticals through a national network of 12 wholesale depots, operates 350+ retail pharmacy branches (Rowlands), and delivers pharmacy membership, dispensing doctor, hospital, parallel importation, and appliance dispensing services. The company supports over 6,700 community pharmacies, dispensing doctor practices, and outpatient sites, reaching 20 million patients annually and delivering 186 million packs of medicines per year. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the pan-European PHOENIX Group.

Product overview

PHOENIX Medical Supplies operates as a diversified healthcare provider offering pharmaceutical wholesale distribution and pharmacy retail services across the UK. The company provides medicines distribution through PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution (12 depots, 14,500 daily deliveries), pharmacy retail via Rowlands Pharmacy (350+ branches), pharmacy membership support through Numark (5,800+ members), primary care services via PSUK, parallel importation through Nupharm, appliance dispensing via NuCare, and hospital solutions for secondary care. The company supports over 6,700 community pharmacies, dispensing doctor practices and outpatient dispensing sites, delivering 186 million packs of medicines annually to approximately 20 million patients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution: National full-line pharmaceutical wholesaler with comprehensive 'Four Nation' coverage across the UK, operating 13 distribution centres
• PHOENIX Hospital Solutions
• Numark
• Rowlands Pharmacy
• PSUK (Practice Services UK)
• Nupharm
• NuCare

Products and services

• PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution National, full-line pharmaceutical wholesaler with comprehensive 'Four Nation' coverage across the UK, operating 12-13 strategically located depots. Delivers 14,500 orders per day and 7.7 million lines per month, with all depots MHRA accredited and operating to ISO Quality and Environmental standards. Serves community pharmacies, dispensing doctor practices, and outpatient dispensing sites.
• Rowlands Pharmacy The UK's longest established chain of community pharmacies, operating over 350 directly managed branches. Dispenses 38 million prescriptions annually and provides 300,000 services per year, ranging from quitting smoking support to weight management, reaching patients directly at retail.
• Numark Membership
• PSUK (Practice Services UK) Largest dispensing doctor membership organisation in the UK and the largest pharmaceutical supplier to prescribing only practices in England and Wales. Serves 80% of the dispensing doctor market with over 6,500 prescribing only practices covered, providing professional services and £234 average member rebates through MDS schemes.
• Nupharm A wholly owned subsidiary responsible for purchasing and importing medicines from other EU countries, operating under Good Manufacturing and Distribution Practice (GMDP) and Home Office Requirements for Controlled Drugs. Supplier base spans 16 countries, reducing the drugs bill for the NHS through parallel importation.
• NuCare A wholly owned subsidiary operating in all customer channels in the appliance market under a Dispensing Appliance Contract (DAC). Supports patients with incontinence, ostomy, wound care, compression therapy and medical device services and products in partnership with pharmacists, doctors, and nurses.
• PHOENIX Hospital Solutions Dedicated service offering in the secondary care channel with full line 'four nation' coverage to all UK hospitals. Serves 1,275 hospital customers, distributes on behalf of 400+ manufacturer partners, and is sole distributor for 25+ manufacturers. Includes 5 dedicated key account managers and 6 customer service advisors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 186 million packs of medicines delivered annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LEO PharmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025From 1st September 2025, PHOENIX was chosen to distribute the LEO Pharma product portfolio as part of a dual Reduced Wholesale Model to pharmacies, hospitals and doctors in the UK.

Scale indicators23 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alliance Healthcare UK: UK's other major full-line pharmaceutical wholesaler and largest direct competitor to PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution; owned by Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), it operates a parallel depot network serving community pharmacies, hospitals, and dispensing doctors across all four UK nations.
• AAH Pharmaceuticals: Major UK pharmaceutical wholesaler also owned by Cencora; directly competes with PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution on depot density and full-line coverage, serving thousands of independent pharmacies through its Nexis and other services.
• Well Pharmacy: One of the UK's largest community pharmacy chains with 700+ branches and a Bestway heritage; directly competes with Rowlands Pharmacy for retail prescription volume and patient services across the UK.
• Day Lewis Pharmacy: UK community pharmacy chain with ~260 branches and its own wholesale supply arrangements; competes directly with Rowlands on retail pharmacy footprint and services across English regions.

Broad incumbents

• Boots Pharmacy (Walgreens Boots Alliance): The UK's largest pharmacy retailer and most recognised high-street brand, owned by Walgreens Boots Alliance; competes with Rowlands on retail pharmacy footfall and services while operating at much broader scale across multiple categories.
• McKesson UK: UK arm of the global pharmaceutical distributor McKesson Corporation; competes with PHOENIX Healthcare Distribution in hospital and specialty pharmaceutical distribution as part of a much wider global wholesale business.
• Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen): Global pharmaceutical distributor that owns Alliance Healthcare and AAH in the UK; competes with PHOENIX Group's wholesale and pre-wholesale businesses at a pan-European and global level.

Emerging players

• Pharmacy2U: UK's leading NHS-registered online pharmacy and a partner of the NHS Electronic Prescription Service; represents the disruptive digital channel that increasingly competes with Rowlands' brick-and-mortar dispensing for repeat prescriptions.

Others

• PHOENIX Group (parent): Germany-headquartered parent company that operates 210 wholesale sites across 29 European countries and 3,300 pharmacies in 17 countries; provides centralised procurement, EU parallel trade, and capital backing to the UK subsidiary.

Regional players

• Superdrug Pharmacy: UK high-street pharmacy chain within AS Watson Group operating under a health-and-beauty retail format; competes with Rowlands on UK pharmacy retail services in a smaller, beauty-anchored footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/phoenixukgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phoenixgroupuk

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PHOENIX Medical Supplies