Returns and Refunds

1. Introduction

This Returns and Refunds Policy applies to all products and services purchased from Apothecare Group Limited trading as Quick Meds (www.quickmeds.co.uk). This policy should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions, which are available on our website.

As a registered online pharmacy, the nature of the products we supply means that certain restrictions apply to returns and refunds, particularly in relation to prescription and pharmacy medicines. These restrictions exist to protect patient safety and comply with UK pharmaceutical regulations.

If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us at [email protected] or by calling 0121 628 5318.

2. Retention of Packaging and Materials

Regardless of the nature of your concern, if you wish to raise any issue with an order- including but not limited to suspected damage, dispensing errors, product quality concerns, incorrect items, or any other matter- you must retain all materials associated with the order until the matter has been fully resolved.

This includes, but is not limited to:

The medication itself, whether used or unused, in whatever state it is in at the time you identify the issue
All primary packaging (e.g. blister packs, bottles, tubes, pre-filled pens)
All secondary packaging (e.g. outer cartons, boxes)
Patient information leaflets
Batch number labels and expiry date information
Delivery packaging (e.g. outer postal packaging, jiffy bags, boxes)
Any ancillary items supplied with the medication (e.g. needles, applicators, measuring devices)
Any temperature monitoring indicators or cold chain packaging where applicable

These materials may be required to enable us to conduct a thorough investigation, including root cause analysis. In many cases, investigations may need to be escalated to the manufacturer, marketing authorisation holder, wholesale distributor, or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/1916, as amended), Part 15 (Pharmacovigilance), and the MHRA Defective Medicines Report Centre procedures. Without the physical materials, such investigations cannot be carried out effectively.

Where you fail to retain the relevant materials and this prevents or materially hinders our ability- or the ability of the manufacturer, distributor, or regulatory authority- to investigate the matter, Apothecare Group Limited (trading as Quick Meds) cannot accept liability for any claims arising from the reported issue. Our ability to offer a refund, replacement, or any further remedy may also be limited where insufficient evidence is available to support an investigation.

You should store any retained materials safely and in accordance with any storage instructions provided (e.g. refrigeration where applicable) until we have confirmed in writing that the investigation is complete and the materials are no longer required. Do not dispose of any materials until you have received this confirmation from us. Where we need materials returned to us, we will provide a prepaid returns label or arrange collection at our cost.

3. Prescription and Pharmacy Medicines

3.1 Important Regulatory Information

Under UK pharmaceutical regulations, including the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/1916, as amended) and the guidelines issued by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), once a medicinal product has left the pharmacy premises it cannot be returned to stock, resold, or redistributed to another patient. This applies regardless of whether the product has been opened. This restriction exists to ensure the safety, quality, and integrity of medicines and to protect all patients.

As a result, our ability to offer refunds or replacements on dispensed medication is limited to the specific circumstances set out in this policy.

3.2 Orders Rejected or Cancelled Before Dispatch

If your order is rejected following clinical assessment, or is cancelled by you or by us before the item has been dispatched, you will receive a full refund including any delivery charges paid. Refunds will be processed to your original payment method within 14 days.

You may cancel an order at any time before dispatch by contacting us at [email protected] or by calling 0121 628 5318. We will use reasonable endeavours to accommodate cancellation requests, but please note that once an item has been dispensed and handed to the carrier, it is considered dispatched and cancellation is no longer possible.

3.3 Cancellation Rights Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013

Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/3134), consumers have the right to cancel a distance contract within 14 days of receiving goods without giving any reason.

However, prescription and pharmacy medicines are exempt from the right of cancellation once they have been dispatched. This exemption applies on two grounds:

Personalisation (Regulation 28(1)(a)): Prescription medicines are selected, clinically assessed, and dispensed specifically for an individual patient based on their personal medical history, consultation responses, and clinical needs. By virtue of having been prescribed following an individual clinical assessment, the medication has been customised to your specification and is therefore exempt from the right of cancellation as goods made to the consumer's specification or clearly personalised.
Health protection and hygiene (Regulation 28(1)(d)): For reasons of health protection and hygiene, medicines cannot be returned to pharmacy stock, resold, or redistributed to another patient once they have left the pharmacy premises.

This means that once your medication has been dispatched, you cannot cancel your order or return the product simply because you have changed your mind.

3.4 Change of Mind

We are unable to offer refunds or accept returns of prescription or pharmacy medicines where you have simply changed your mind about your purchase after the item has been dispatched. This applies regardless of whether the product has been opened or remains sealed.

If you are experiencing side effects or are unhappy with your treatment, please contact our clinical team for support. We can discuss alternative treatment options and, where clinically appropriate, arrange a new consultation and order for a more suitable product.

4. Non-Prescription Items

4.1 General Returns

For non-prescription items (including over-the-counter products, devices, and accessories), returns and refunds will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To be eligible for consideration, the item must be:

Unused and in its original, unopened, and sealed condition
In its original packaging with all tags, labels, and accessories intact
Returned within 14 days of receipt

To request a return of a non-prescription item, please contact us at [email protected] or by calling 0121 628 5318 before sending anything back. Do not return items without first obtaining authorisation from us.

4.2 Non-Returnable Non-Prescription Items

Even where an item is non-prescription, we are unable to accept returns in the following circumstances:

Items that have been opened, unsealed, or used
Items where the hygiene seal has been broken
Items that have been stored improperly or are no longer in a saleable condition
Items returned without prior authorisation

5. Dispensing Errors

If you receive incorrect medication, an incorrect strength, or an incorrect quantity as a result of a dispensing error on our part, please contact us immediately at [email protected] or by calling 0121 628 5318.

In the event of a confirmed dispensing error:

We will arrange for the incorrect item to be returned to us. We will provide a prepaid returns label and you will need to drop the package at your nearest Post Office. You will not incur any cost for returning the item.
Once we have received the returned item, we will dispatch the correct medication to you at no additional cost, or issue a full refund to your original payment method- whichever you prefer.
We take all dispensing errors seriously and will conduct a thorough internal investigation in line with our clinical governance procedures, the GPhC Standards for Registered Pharmacies (April 2023), and our obligations under the Pharmacy Order 2010 (SI 2010/231).

You must not use or consume any medication you believe has been dispensed in error. Please store it safely and away from children until it has been returned to us.

6. Damaged Items

6.1 Reporting Damage

If your medication or any other item arrives damaged, you must report this to us within 24 hours of receipt by contacting us at [email protected] or by calling 0121 628 5318.

When reporting damage, please provide:

Your order number
A clear description of the damage
Photographic evidence showing the damage to the product and its packaging
Photographs of the outer delivery packaging

6.2 Replacement Process

For damaged prescription or pharmacy medicines, we are only able to provide a replacement once the damaged item has been returned to us. This is to ensure proper handling, disposal, and investigation of the damaged product.

We will provide a prepaid returns label for you to return the damaged item. You will need to drop the package at your nearest Post Office at a time convenient to you. You will not incur any cost for the return.

Once we have received and inspected the returned item, we will dispatch a replacement to you at no additional cost. If the product is no longer available, we will offer a suitable clinically appropriate alternative or a full refund.

6.3 Retention of Materials

The general obligation to retain all packaging and materials as set out in Section 2 of this policy applies to all reports of damaged items. This is particularly important for damage-related issues, as the physical condition of the packaging and product is critical to establishing whether damage occurred in transit, during manufacture, or during storage.

Please do not dispose of any damaged items or packaging until we have confirmed in writing that they are no longer required. Failure to retain materials may limit our ability to investigate and may affect our ability to offer a remedy, as set out in Section 2.

7. Lost or Missing Deliveries

7.1 Delivery Timeframes

All items are dispatched via Royal Mail. Expected delivery timeframes depend on the service selected at checkout:

Special Delivery (Guaranteed by 1pm): Next working day by 1pm
Tracked 24: Aims for next working day delivery
Tracked 48: Aims for delivery within 2-3 working days

Please allow for the full estimated delivery window before reporting a missing order. Delivery delays may occur during periods of high demand, adverse weather conditions, or Royal Mail service disruptions.

7.2 Items Not Received

If your order has not arrived within the expected delivery timeframe, please contact us at [email protected] or by calling 0121 628 5318. We will investigate the matter, including reviewing tracking information with Royal Mail.

7.3 Items Marked as Delivered but Not Received

If Royal Mail tracking shows your item as delivered but you have not received it, please take the following steps:

Check with other members of your household, neighbours, or anyone who may have accepted the delivery on your behalf
Check any safe places or designated delivery locations around your property
Allow 24 hours from the recorded delivery time, as items are occasionally scanned as delivered before the final delivery attempt is made

If after taking these steps you still have not received your order, please contact us and we will open an investigation. You should also submit a claim directly to Royal Mail, which can be done via the Royal Mail website.

We will conduct our own investigation with Royal Mail on your behalf in parallel. Where Royal Mail accepts responsibility for the lost delivery, we will determine the appropriate course of action on a case-by-case basis, which may include dispatching a replacement or issuing a full refund.

Please note that where tracking evidence confirms delivery to the correct address, and Royal Mail does not accept the claim, we may not be in a position to offer a refund or replacement. Each case will be assessed individually and on its own merits.

8. Circumstances Where Refunds Will Not Be Issued

Refunds will not be issued in the following circumstances:

Where you have changed your mind after medication has been dispatched
Where you have provided inaccurate, incomplete, or false information during the consultation process, resulting in an inappropriate product being supplied
Where medication has been opened, used, or removed from its original sealed packaging (unless due to a dispensing error on our part)
Where you have failed to follow storage instructions and the medication has been compromised as a result
Where you have failed to report an issue within 24 hours of receipt
Where you have failed to retain materials required for investigation as set out in Section 2 of this policy, and this has prevented or materially hindered our ability to investigate
Where an order is associated with fraudulent activity, misuse of our services, or a breach of our Terms and Conditions
Where delivery has been confirmed by the carrier and the subsequent Royal Mail investigation does not uphold the claim

9. How to Request a Refund or Return

To request a refund or return, please contact us using one of the following methods:

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 0121 628 5318

When contacting us, please provide:

Your full name and the email address associated with your account
Your order number
A description of the issue
Photographic evidence where applicable (e.g. damaged items, incorrect products)

We aim to acknowledge all refund and return requests within 2 working days and to resolve them as quickly as possible.

Do not return any items to us without first obtaining authorisation. Unauthorised returns may not be processed and we cannot accept responsibility for items sent to us without prior arrangement.

10. Refund Processing

All approved refunds will be processed to your original payment method. Please allow up to 14 days from the date the refund is approved for the funds to appear in your account. The exact time taken will depend on your bank or card provider.

Where a refund is conditional on the return of an item, the refund will be processed once the returned item has been received and inspected by our team.

We reserve the right to request photographic evidence before approving a refund, and to inspect returned items before confirming the refund amount.

11. Delivery Charges

Where a refund is issued for a pre-dispatch cancellation or a clinical rejection, delivery charges will be refunded in full.

Where a refund is issued for a post-dispatch issue that is the result of an error on our part (e.g. dispensing error, item damaged before dispatch), we will refund the original delivery charge and cover any return postage costs by providing a prepaid returns label.

Where a return is accepted for a non-prescription item under Section 4 of this policy, the original delivery charge is non-refundable unless the return is the result of an error on our part.

12. Our Commitment

We are committed to resolving any issues with your order fairly and promptly. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a refund or return request, please refer to our Complaints Procedure, which is available on our website.

You may also escalate your complaint to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) or the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman as appropriate.

Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights as a consumer under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15).

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this policy or need to report an issue with your order, please contact us:

Telephone: 0121 628 5318

Email: [email protected]

Address: Unit 2 Forge Industrial Park, Forge Lane, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, B76 1AJ

Schedule- Legislation and Regulatory Instruments Referenced

The following legislation and regulatory instruments are referenced within this policy:

Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/3134)
Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15)
Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (SI 2012/1916, as amended)
Pharmacy Order 2010 (SI 2010/231)

The following regulatory standards and guidance are also referenced:

GPhC Standards for Registered Pharmacies (April 2023)
MHRA Defective Medicines Report Centre