Introduction - POYC
The Pharmacy of Your Choice (POYC) Unit falls under the umbrella of the Ministry for Health. As a Government unit, its overriding challenge is to manage a social enterprise while balancing business objectives and social objectives. Indeed, the POYC Unit is committed to excellence in all its operations more importantly the highest degree of quality pharmaceutical service delivery coupled with the continued promotion of a patient-centric environment through innovative approaches and value-added economic opportunities.
The introduction of novel parallel functions and methodologies are specifically designed to allow alignment of its human resources with its business strategic intent. To-day, the POYC Unit is successfully positioned as a key National Health Service provider, with sustained client-centric strategic objectives that facilitate equitable accessibility to Governments’ free pharmaceutical services, through:
The One Stop Shop Service – combining, under one roof, the Services of the Schedule V Medicines Approval, the POYC Registration and the Renewal of the Dangerous Drugs Control Card.
- The POYC Scheme -- a nationwide pharmaceutical service that to-date meets the needs of over 140,000 outpatients benefitting from Government’s free pharmaceutical stock under the Schedule V legislation through the 219 community pharmacies.
- The introduction of the POYC Unit's IT systems within the Health Centres' Pharmacies of Paola and Floriana and the Gozo General hospital Outpatients' Pharmacy to facilitate electronic dispense of free Government's stock to eligible patients under the Schedule II Legislation, the dispense of stock to NHS staff eligible for injury on duty, to the Malta Police Corp, the Malta Armed Forces Corp, the Detention Services Corp and the Third Country Nationals.
- The partial manufacturing activity involving the repackaging into patient-pack-size the Government stock, procured in bulk form. The repackaged stock is then distributed through the POYC Scheme and the Government NHS outlets.
The creation of the 1st National Outpatients’ Repository -- a data hub, holding real-time pharmaceutical data of all the patients and the pharmacies registered with the POYC Unit. This information centre enables the Health Ministry to take informed decisions in respect of this business sector.
The Management and Financial administration of the Coeliac Products Voucher Scheme. This is an innovative solution aimed to enhance the patients’ product choice and to facilitate easier access to such products from a number participating retail outlets in the community.
- The ISO 9001-2008 International Standard Certification. The POYC Unit enjoys the ISO certification throughout its operational footprint.
Undeniably, the key to the POYC Unit’s success and its stellar performance is its management team. Management, has done its utmost to secure the highest level of performance through investing and empowering its workforce to continuously strive for excellence and to appreciate the importance of continuous improvement for the benefit of all.
Mission Statement
POYC is committed to excellence, to the highest quality pharmaceutical service delivery and to promote a patient-focused environment.
We are also committed to continually strive to improve our responsiveness to provide a timely, accurate, efficient client-centric pharmaceutical delivery service to all stakeholders benefiting from the Pharmacy of Your Choice Unit.
Organisational Structure