Send247
Book Instantly

Written byMark Okiki

Pharmacy team preparing healthcare deliveries
Pharmacy cost guide

What are the hidden costs of in-house pharmacy couriers?

In-house pharmacy courier costs include more than wages or fuel. Operators should account for recruitment, scheduling, vehicle costs, insurance, absence cover, failed drops, customer queries, proof of delivery and management time. Comparing the full cost with an external per-parcel quote gives a more useful delivery decision.

Discuss your pharmacy delivery setup

The operator view

The costs that do not appear on a fuel receipt

An internal courier model can feel simple when the pharmacy already has staff and a vehicle. The real comparison is the full cost of keeping delivery capacity available, including the time and risk involved in managing it.

People and scheduling

Include recruitment, training, rota planning, holiday cover and the time spent finding cover when the usual driver is unavailable.

Vehicle availability

Count fuel, servicing, repairs, depreciation, parking and the time needed to keep a vehicle ready for delivery work.

Delivery administration

Customer logistics queries, address checks, status updates and proof-of-delivery records all consume operational time.

Exceptions and failed drops

Allow for redelivery attempts, waiting time, incorrect details and parcels that need to return to the pharmacy for review.

A practical workflow

Build a complete monthly comparison

Use the same period and parcel volume for both models. A per-parcel quote is only useful when the in-house comparison includes fixed availability costs and variable delivery work.

  1. 01

    Count

    Record the parcels and delivery routes in a typical period.

  2. 02

    List

    Write down people, vehicle, insurance and administration costs.

  3. 03

    Measure

    Estimate time spent on planning, queries and exceptions.

  4. 04

    Compare

    Divide the complete cost by completed deliveries.

  5. 05

    Review

    Check the result against an external delivery quote.

Make the numbers useful

Use total cost, not just driver pay

A pharmacy can calculate an internal cost per completed delivery by adding direct delivery costs and allocated management time, then dividing by the completed deliveries in the period. Compare that figure with the applicable external quote. Send247 pricing starts from £9.99 per parcel with a minimum of 8 parcels; a discretionary charge may apply below 8 parcels.

Include these line items

  • Driver time and cover
  • Fuel, servicing and vehicle costs
  • Insurance and compliance administration
  • Customer support and proof of delivery
  • Failed drops, returns and redelivery work

Frequently asked questions

Pharmacy delivery costs and decisions

Review your pharmacy delivery model

Share your parcel volume, collection details and delivery routes with Send247 to discuss a suitable setup.

Contact Send247