Medication management automation company Onnicell has appointed Edward Platt as the senior commercial director for its community pharmacy division, expanding on his current position overseeing the UK and Ireland hospital market.

Mr Platt, who joined the company in 2015, will be responsible for overseeing specialist teams working with independents and small multiples as well as larger chains.

He said: “The market is constantly evolving, and we believe there is scope to better deliver on the needs of community pharmacists by developing dedicated specialist teams.

“Faced with funding cuts, staff shortages, rising costs, increased demand and the continuing growth of mail-order pharmacies, community pharmacists are facing a myriad of challenges just to survive.

“Community pharmacies need to make tangible change to their operating models, and we see the adoption of automation as key in helping them evolve into sustainable and successful businesses. With our new and repurposed team, we are fully committed to supporting community pharmacists and helping them to realise the benefits of harnessing technology.

“Automation can transform the workflow in a pharmacy, freeing up time and capacity to explore additional clinical services and revenue streams. This is crucial for community pharmacies to be successful in the long-term.”

The company has also appointed three new sales managers – Adrian Hall, Francesca Down and Karam Jain to cover the northern, midlands and south regions respectively.