The counter of a community pharmacy is a shop with rules. Every medicine has a legal class, pharmacy (P) medicines need a pharmacist’s say-so, and the same till sells toiletries, vitamins and baby care to a queue. Switch&Save EPOS handles both sides: each medicine carries its class (GSL, P or POM), a P medicine waits for a pharmacist’s PIN, and a dispensing register records every prescription dispensed with a one-line entry.
It is the same software as our retail EPOS system, with the pharmacy module switched on.
From £349 + VAT upfront plus a monthly service plan, on a 12-month minimum term. See EPOS pricing · Compare the two packages · Book a free demo
What does a pharmacy EPOS system do?
It runs the retail counter and applies medicine rules at the point of sale:
- Medicine classes: every medicine carries its class, GSL, P or POM, and the till applies the rules.
- P medicines: the sale waits for a pharmacist’s PIN and is logged with their name.
- Dispensing register: a quick one-line entry for every prescription dispensed.
- Retail: health and beauty lines on the same till, with discounts, loyalty points and gift vouchers.
- Stock: short-dated stock flagged before its date, and instant product recalls.
- Reports: sales by department, VAT summary and Z read, ready to run.
Switch&Save EPOS features for pharmacies
- GSL, P and POM rules: Every medicine carries its class, and the till applies the rules.
- Pharmacist PIN: A P medicine waits for a pharmacist’s PIN, and the sale is logged with their name.
- Dispensing register: Record every prescription dispensed with a quick one-line entry.
- Health and beauty retail: Toiletries, vitamins and baby care on the same till.
- Date checks: Short-dated stock is flagged before its date.
- Instant product recalls: Raise a recall and the till stops selling it straight away.
- Card payments built in: DNA Payments, Teya and Dojo terminals: the amount goes straight to the card machine.
- Analytics on every sale: Sales, margin, best sellers and busy times for any period, against last year.
What Switch&Save EPOS covers in a pharmacy, and what stays on your pharmacy system
Switch&Save EPOS runs the counter. Your dispensary keeps its own systems.
| At the counter: Switch&Save EPOS | Stays on your pharmacy system |
|---|---|
| GSL, P and POM classes, with the till applying the rules | Your patient medication record (PMR) |
| A pharmacist’s PIN for P medicines, logged with their name | NHS electronic prescriptions (EPS) and claims |
| A one-line dispensing register entry for each prescription dispensed | Clinical services and consultations |
| Health and beauty retail, date checks and recalls | Controlled drug records |
| Card and cash payments, staff PINs and reports | Your SOPs and professional responsibilities |
Pharmacist PIN and dispensing register
A P medicine on a sale can’t be paid for until a pharmacist enters their PIN, and the sale is logged with their name, so you can see who confirmed it. Prescriptions you dispense go in the dispensing register with a quick one-line entry. The pharmacy section and its rules appear only when the shop type is Pharmacy.
The till supports your procedures; your pharmacist still decides whether a sale is appropriate.
Date checks, recalls and stock
Switch&Save EPOS flags short-dated stock before its date, and when a line is recalled you raise a recall and the till stops selling it straight away. Our inventory management guide covers stock routines that work with any till.
Health and beauty retail on the same till
Toiletries, vitamins and baby care sell on the same till as medicines, on small barcode tiles eight to a row. Customers can collect loyalty points and buy gift vouchers, and receipts print or go by email or WhatsApp. Our guides to barcode scanners for POS and customer loyalty software help you choose what to add.
Pharmacy baskets are often small, so per-transaction card charges matter. Read card machine fees explained before you compare card quotes.
See Switch&Save EPOS for pharmacies in 23 seconds
Set up for pharmacy from day one
Pick Pharmacy as your shop type at set-up and the till starts with:
- The pharmacy module switched on: the Pharmacy section and the GSL, P and POM till rules
- Small tiles with barcodes, eight to a row
- Reports ready to run: Sales by department, VAT summary, Z read
You can change any of it later in Settings.
Also included in Switch&Save EPOS
- Selling: Hold and recall, discounts, refunds and exchanges, receipts by print, email or WhatsApp.
- Customers: Loyalty points and cards, customer accounts, customer orders with deposits, gift vouchers.
- Stock and buying: Stock takes, wastage, transfers, recalls, purchase orders and goods in.
- Cash and reports: Shifts with floats, X and Z reports, end of day, reports to PDF, Excel or email.
- Staff: PIN sign-in, roles and permissions, clock in and out, rota and timesheets.
- More tills and branches: Run several tills in one shop and several shops from one system, with stock transfers between branches.
- Web portal: Full control of your tills from anywhere: products, prices, staff and reports, with automatic updates.
- PDA handheld: Stock counts, price checks and goods in on the shop floor, with a handheld PDA you can add to your system.
Hardware Switch&Save EPOS works with
- Windows touch-screen till
- 80 mm receipt printer
- Cash drawer
- Barcode scanner
- Counter and label scales
- Label printer
- Card terminals: DNA Payments, Teya, Dojo
- Customer display
- PDA handheld
Every package includes the double-screen EPOS till, a barcode scanner, a cash drawer and a receipt printer, with a 24-month return-to-base warranty. A card machine is included in both packages; on the Upfront Package you choose your card provider.
Switch&Save EPOS packages and prices
Both packages include the same hardware, which you own, and a 12-month minimum term.
| Complete Package | Upfront Package | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront (hardware you own) | £349 + VAT | £899 + VAT |
| Monthly service plan | £79 + VAT a month for months 1–12, then £39 + VAT a month | £25 + VAT a month |
| Card machine | Card machine included, subject to approval. No separate card-machine rental. | Card machine included, from your choice of supported provider, subject to approval |
| Minimum term | 12 months, then monthly rolling (30 days’ written notice) | 12 months, then monthly rolling (30 days’ written notice) |
Buy now: Complete Package Buy now: Upfront Package
Card processing fees are separate and quoted by your card provider. Full details are on EPOS pricing, and the terminals on our card machines page.
What the monthly Cloud & Care plan covers
The monthly fee is a service plan, not a payment for the hardware, which is yours. It covers:
- Cloud: sales, products and reports sync to the web portal, so you can see your reports and manage your tills from anywhere.
- Automatic cloud backup of your products, sales and settings.
- Software updates: new features, security updates and UK rule changes such as VAT, installed automatically.
- UK support: remote support Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm, by phone, WhatsApp and email.
- Card machine as set out for your package, and set-up help: we help load your products and train your team, as agreed in your order.
Key terms: 12-month minimum term · No change-of-mind returns · Card processing fees separate · Business customers only. Read the terms and the refund and cancellation policy before you order.
Pharmacy EPOS: frequently asked questions
Does it connect to my PMR or to NHS prescriptions?
Switch&Save EPOS runs the counter, including medicine classes, the pharmacist PIN and the dispensing register. Your PMR, NHS electronic prescriptions and clinical records stay on your pharmacy system. Ask on your demo if you need the two to share information.
How are P medicines controlled?
Each medicine carries its class. A P medicine on a sale asks for a pharmacist’s PIN before it can be paid for, and the confirmation is logged.
Do other shop types see pharmacy options?
No. The pharmacy section and rules appear only when the shop type is Pharmacy.
Can I bring my products from my old till?
Yes. Import products, offers, customers, suppliers, users and stock from Excel or CSV, or straight from eight other till systems.
Which card machines work with it?
DNA Payments, Teya and Dojo terminals are built in, so the amount goes to the card machine and is never keyed twice.
Can I have more than one till?
Yes. Add extra tills in the same shop; each keeps selling if the link to the main till drops and catches up afterwards.
Is it made for UK shops?
Yes: UK VAT and VAT return, UK shop time on every report, and UK rules such as Challenge 25 age checks, price-marked packs and HFSS offers.
Is there a minimum term?
Yes, 12 months on both packages. You can’t cancel for convenience during the term: ending early means an early termination charge based on the monthly fees left. After that the plan runs monthly and you can end it with 30 days’ written notice. Cancelling a Direct Debit or card payment does not end the agreement.
What happens if my card machine application isn’t approved?
The Complete Package needs your card machine (merchant) application to be approved. If it isn’t approved, you can switch to the Upfront Package and pay the difference, or have a full refund, including the first month.
Set up and supported from Birmingham
Our head office is at 3A Perry Common Road, Erdington, Birmingham. We set up Switch&Save EPOS for independent pharmacies in the West Midlands and across the UK, with a remote demo at a time that fits around your trading, help loading your products and training for your team. See also EPOS systems in Birmingham.
Book a free 20-minute remote demo, call 0333 0389707 or WhatsApp +44 7432 391811.