The two leading groups of independent, locally Irish-owned pharmacies, Totalhealth Pharmacy (Totalhealth) and Haven Pharmacy (Haven), have agreed to merge, following the approval of members. There are currently 49 Haven and 78 Totalhealth pharmacies in communities nationwide throughout Ireland. Combined, Haven and Totalhealth will manage supply chain value in the order of €200 million per annum.
Both groups are entirely member-owned by individual, community-based pharmacists with a complementary geographical spread throughout Ireland. Members operate their local pharmacies under their own name together with the overall brand identity of their membership group, ie, Haven and Totalhealth.
The groups provide supply chain management, marketing, and organisational and business administration supports to their pharmacy members. The branding schemes for both groups will remain in place for up to two years to ensure ongoing continuity of awareness and service for patients, consumers and communities.
The current chair of Haven Pharmacy Group, Mr Daragh Connolly, will be chair of the combined new group. The Managing Director of Totalhealth Mr John Arnold has been appointed as the new group’s CEO. Mr Connolly said:
“The benefits of co-operation have supported strong progress and resilience to date. We believe that the time is right to expand and widen that co-operation by joining together to create a stronger collective market presence, focused on the ongoing growth, development and sustainability of all our individual pharmacy members and based on our shared mission to meet the needs of our deeply-valued patients, consumers and the local communities whom we are proud to serve.”
Mr Arnold said: “Totalhealth and Haven are an excellent fit, with a similar ethos, mission, values and culture, creating the largest Irish branded pharmacy group with a complementary geographical reach. Each group has great professional expertise and experience, which will now be combined, supporting continuing innovation in service delivery for customers and enhanced care, choice and value for local communities.”
