AAH is to invest around £30m over three years to improve its 900-strong fleet of delivery vans in a move it said will “drive significant improvements” for its customers.

The wholesaler shelled out £11.2m in December for 328 new "pharmavans" which AAH said will have a “more efficient cooling system for the control of ambient temperatures".

"This guarantees the temperatures needed to safely deliver medicines and other stock items to pharmacies, hospitals, and dispensing doctors nationwide," the company said. 

The vans will also have an improved telematics solution to help speed up deliveries, said AAH, which also claimed the vehicles will be more environmentally-friendly and helping AAH achieve its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 19,550 tonnes a week as it strives to be carbon-neutral by 2030.

"The roll-out of a brand new pharmavan fleet marks a significant investment in the company, to make our operations more efficient, to deliver a better service, and to support our sustainability pledge," said Toby Anderson, the CEO of McKesson UK, the parent company of AAH.

"Our new vans will continue to be industry-leading in the final-mile delivery of pharmaceuticals to our customers, helping us deliver products to our customers in the most compliant, efficient way.

"We’re committed to enhancing the service that AAH offers to customers, and future-proofing the business through investment. This venture is part of a wider programme of investment and improvement that we hope will drive confidence in the partnership we offer."