Alliance Boots signs up New Directions

Recruitment business New Directions has further strengthened its position in the pharmacy sector by being named as a preferred supplier for Alliance Boots.

New Directions Professional of Cardiff supplies approximately 800 locums to pharmacies throughout the UK. The business has seen turnover boosted 304% in the past five years from £3m in 2002.

The new agreement means Alliance Boots, which operates some 3000 retail outlets of which 2700 have a pharmacy, will use New Directions as one of its approved suppliers for candidates to fill a variety of key positions within their operations. The agreement is for 18 months and subject to a six monthly review.

Alliance Boots was created recently from the merger between Alliance Unichem and Boots Group, creating an international pharmacy-led health and beauty group.

New Directions which has seen its pharmacy business double in the last 12 months recruits locum pharmacists, pharmcy managers, relief managers, dispensers and accuracy checking technicians for contracts throughout the UK.

The company is also preferred suppliers to Rowlands, Tesco, Nucare and Superdrug.

Amber Stevens, head of pharmacy at New Directions Professional said, “We are very proud to have been awarded preferred supplier status to Alliance Boots. This is an excellent contract to have in our portfolio and endorses New Direction Pharmacy’s status as a premier supplier to the sector across the UK. Gaining preferred supplier status is solid recognition of the consistent excellence of the recruitment service we supply. It also reflects very well on the outstandinbg calibre of the candidates we are consistently able to provide to fill a wide variety of positions, not just at Alliance Boots but within the pharmacy industry right across the UK”.