Monitored Dosage System
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Finding it Hard to Keep Track of Your Medicines?
If you take several medications a day, keeping track of what to take and when can feel overwhelming — especially if you have a complex routine, memory difficulties, or rely on a carer for support. You are not alone. Over half of patients aged 65 and over in the UK take five or more medications daily.1
A Monitored Dosage System (MDS) solves this. Your medications are dispensed into clearly labelled blister cards — organised by day of the week and time of day — so you or your carer simply open the right compartment and take what is inside. No multiple boxes, no blister packs to wrestle with, no confusion about what has been taken.
What is a Monitored Dosage System?
An MDS is a method of dispensing your prescribed medications into pre-organised, sealed blister cards. Each card is prepared by our pharmacy team and includes:
- Your name and prescription details — clearly printed on every card
- Photographs of every tablet printed directly onto the pack, so you can visually confirm what you are taking2
- Clear day, date, and time labelling for every dose
- A unique barcode reference for full traceability
MDS is widely used for patients at home, as well as residents in care homes and nursing homes, where accurate and timely medication administration is essential.
Powered by the Omnicell VBM
At Pearl Chemist Group, MDS packs are produced using the Omnicell VBM 200F — an automated blister card packaging machine purpose-built for community pharmacy, and the only automated solution worldwide that accurately fills and checks SureMed® adherence cards.2
Rather than relying on manual handling, the VBM automates the entire preparation process through multiple verification steps:
Barcode & RFID Verification
Every medication scanned and cross-checked before entering the machine
Vision Checking Technology
Camera inspects every tablet by size, shape and colour before sealing
Full Photographic Audit Trail
Every completed pack photographed and stored for complete traceability
- Barcode and RFID verification — every medication scanned and matched to your prescription before it enters the machine2
- Vision checking technology — a built-in camera inspects every individual tablet by size, shape, and colour before the card is sealed2
- Photographic audit trail — every completed pack photographed and stored digitally for full traceability2
- Unique barcode per pack — any query about your pack can be resolved instantly using the reference on your card2
Every pack is then reviewed and signed off by our pharmacy team before it reaches you.
We didn’t just solve a capacity problem: we evolved our business model. The VBM system has given us the flexibility to grow without compromise. We’re delivering more, with greater safety — and reclaiming valuable staff time.
— Pearl Chemist Group Operations Team, as cited by Omnicell UK 3
PCG adopted the Omnicell VBM 200F to centralise MDS production at a dedicated hub serving the entire group. The results have included improved accuracy, significantly increased capacity, and thousands of staff hours returned to direct patient care across our branches.3
Is an MDS Right for You?
You may benefit from an MDS if you:
- Take several different medications each day
- Have a complex or varied medication schedule
- Have memory difficulties or find it hard to remember what you have taken
- Have restricted use of your hands due to arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, or MS
- Have partial sight loss and find standard packaging difficult to manage
- Are a carer managing medicines on behalf of someone else
How It Works
Prescription Received
We receive your prescription from your GP or prescriber.
Automated Preparation
Your pack is filled, verified, and sealed by the Omnicell VBM 200F, with barcode, RFID, and vision checks on every dose.
Team Sign-Off
Our pharmacy team reviews every pack before it is supplied to you.
Supply
You receive your pack weekly, or as agreed with your prescriber.
Ongoing Support
Our team is always on hand to answer questions about your medicines and liaise with your GP where needed.
Care Homes and Residential Services
Pearl Chemist Group also provides MDS services to residential and nursing homes across South London. This includes automated preparation of packs for all residents, scheduled delivery, guidance to care home staff on safe medicine handling, and a full photographic and barcode audit trail for every pack.
Why Choose Pearl Chemist Group?
- Omnicell VBM 200F automation — purpose-built automated dispensing technology with multi-layer verification on every pack2
- Dedicated MDS hub — centralised production serving all 29 branches, ensuring consistent quality across the network3
- Full audit trail — every pack photographed and traceable from preparation to patient2
- Care home expertise — experienced in delivering MDS services to residential and nursing settings across South London
- Local and accessible — 29 branches across South London, with teams available via app, phone, or in person
Frequently Asked Questions
Who prepares my pack?
Your pack is prepared using the Omnicell VBM 200F, which applies barcode, RFID, and vision verification to every dose. It is then reviewed by our pharmacy team before it is supplied to you.
How often will I receive it?
MDS packs are typically supplied weekly, or as specified by your prescriber.
Can I switch from my current dispensing?
Yes — speak to our team and we will liaise with your GP to arrange the transition with no disruption to your medicines.
Is this available for care homes?
Yes. We provide a full MDS service to care homes and residential homes across South London, including scheduled delivery and full staff support.
Is there a cost?
MDS dispensing is available as part of your NHS prescription service. Speak to our team for details based on your individual circumstances.
Speak to Your Pharmacy Team
Our Monitored Dosage System service is available at all 29 Pearl Chemist Group branches throughout South London, including Banstead, Byfleet, Cannon Hill, Cobham, Earlsfield, Epsom, London, Merton, Mitcham, Morden, Northcote Road, Streatham, Tolworth, Tooting, Wandsworth, Wimbledon, and Kingston upon Thames.
Simply walk in to your nearest branch, message your local team via the Pearl Chemist Group app, or give us a call to find out more.
Download Our App
Message your local branch directly via the Pearl Chemist Group app
Available on the App Store and Google Play
Call us:020 8672 2157
Find your nearest branch → pearlchemistgroup.co.uk/pharmacy-locator
Disclaimer: This page is for information purposes only. Monitored Dosage Systems are dispensed following receipt of a valid prescription. Eligibility and suitability are assessed individually by our pharmacy team. For clinical advice about your medicines, please speak to your pharmacist or GP.
References
- 1. PillPacPlus. Choosing the Right Automated Pharmacy Solution, 2025. pillpacplus.com
- 2. Omnicell UK. VBM 200F Blister Card Packaging Automation — product specification. omnicell.co.uk/the-future-of-retail-pharmacy/monitored-dosage-system-automation/vbm-200f-blister-card-packaging-automation
- 3. Omnicell UK. Emerging Trends in Pharmacy Technology: The Automation Revolution — Pearl Chemist Group case study. omnicell.co.uk/resource-library/article/emerging-trends-in-pharmacy-technology-the-automation-revolution
Are You Finding it Difficult to Remember to Take Your Pills and to Take Them at the Right Time of Day?
If so, you’re not alone. As we get older, many of us have to take more medications to help keep us in good health. Keeping track of what needs to be taken and when can be overwhelming, especially if you’re also experiencing trouble with your memory.
Thankfully, there’s a simple solution to this common problem: Monitored Dosage Systems.
A Monitored Dosage System (MDS) is a method of dispensing medications that streamlines pill organisation. Your medications will be dispensed in a special tray, with pills labelled and organised by day of the week, and if needed, by the time of day they need to be taken.
Your personalised tray will also have easy to open compartments, cutting out the need for fiddling with several boxes of tablets and blister packs.
The more medications a person takes, the more likely they are to make mistakes. Missing a dose or doubling up on a dose can be very dangerous so it’s important to take any medicines exactly as they are prescribed. Having your medicines dispensed through an MDS will make medication management much easier for you, your carers, or anyone else who helps you with your medications
Monitored Dosage System in London
Medication Errors Cost Patients and the NHS
Did you know that medication mismanagement costs the NHS millions of pounds each year? In addition to patients having adverse reactions, medication mistakes put significant strain on an already strained system. Many of these errors could be avoided through the use of a monitored medicine dosage system.
A Monitored Dosage System Might be Right for You if:
- You take several different medications.
- You have a complicated medical regime.
- You have problems with your memory.
- You have vision loss.
- You have restricted use of your hands because of Arthritis, M.S., or other conditions.
Benefits of Monitored Dosage System
- Medications are prepared and dispensed by a pharmacist.
- Medications come pre-organised, saving you or your family members time and effort.
- Instances of missed doses, double doses, and medication mismanagement are significantly reduced.
Monitored Dosage System from Pearl Chemist Group
Once we have received a prescription from the patient’s prescriber, we will pack the medication into a Monitored Dosage System and label it appropriately. This will be supplied to the patient on a weekly basis or as specified by the prescriber.
Pearl Chemist Group also offers Pharmacy services to local residential and nursing homes which includes delivering Monitored Dosage Systems and giving advice on using, storing, and disposing of medicines safely.
PCG is a Monitored Dosage System Pharmacy with several convenient locations throughout London. Our friendly experts are always on hand to answer any questions you may have about your medicines and how to take them. We are a pharmacy group dedicated to making health care easy and accessible for our local communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Monitored Dosage System?
A Monitored Dosage System is a method of dispensing your medication so we can help you keep track of what to take and when to take it. You will receive your medication in a special tray.
This tray has a number of compartments, which are very easy to open, that have days of the week and time of the day labelled on them.
The pharmacist will fill this tray with the medication you need to take in the appropriate compartments. This means you will not need to struggle with lots of tablet boxes and pushing tablets out of often hard to open blister packs.
Who could benefit?
- Patients taking large quantities of different medication.
- Patients who find it hard to remember what to take and when to take it.
- Patients with restricted use of their hands, for example those suffering with arthritis, Parkinson’s Disease or M.S.
- Patients who have complex medicine regimes meaning they have to take different medications on different days.
- Patients who are partially sighted.
What will the Pharmacy do?
Once we have received a prescription from the patients’ Doctor, we will pack the medication into a Monitored Dosage System and label appropriately. This will be supplied to the patient on a weekly basis or as specified by the prescriber.
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