Digital pharmacy company Phlo has appointed former Echo clinical director Alistair Murray as its chief pharmacist.

Mr Murray, who was involved in setting up the LloydsPharmacy-owned distance dispenser – which is now called LloydsDirect – will “provide strategic leadership and help to steer Phlo’s continued growth” according to a company statement.

Since leaving Echo in 2021 he has worked as a self-employed consultant and held teaching roles at universities. He is also a fellow of the UK Faculty of Clinical Informatics.

Mr Murray “brings to the team experience in scaling digital pharmacy products and in delivering innovative patient access programmes in partnership with local and national commissioners,” said Phlo.

The company operates ‘city hubs’ offering same-day delivery in London, Manchester and Birmingham as well as a national mail order service. Founded in 2017, it is currently on a growth path, with announcements earlier this year of a £10m capital investment deal and the acquisition of rival operator Truepill. It says it is “in the midst of expanding the geographic footprint of its flagship” product. 

Chief commercial officer Adam hunter said: “Alistair brings the perfect mix of perspective and insight to Phlo’s senior leadership team. His unique combination of clinical and regulatory experience and his track record in digital pharmacy make him the ideal person to take on the role of chief pharmacist.”

Mr Murray commented: “Phlo is in a unique position with its API-enabled connectivity with B2B partners to provide a secure, timely, safe and accurate service. 

“I’m already hard at work getting us ready for our next phase of scaling and patient safety, clinical excellence and operational efficiency are at the heart of this. There is an excellent in-house team to enable us to achieve our goals and beyond.”