Phlo began with a frustration familiar to many patients: accessing medication often meant fitting life around a brick-and-mortar pharmacy, from limited opening hours and queues to the chance that medication might not be available. Launched in 2019, the company set out to redesign that experience around the patient, making access to healthcare easier, more reliable and more convenient.

That idea became more relevant when COVID-19 accelerated the adoption of online services. The business began as an online pharmacy but quickly saw a wider opportunity. Healthcare platforms needed digital pharmacy infrastructure built into their customer journeys rather than relying on manual processes such as faxed or emailed prescriptions. In response, the company launched Phlo Connect, white-labelling the technology it had built for itself.

The challenge was building in a highly regulated, complex market while keeping the patient experience simple. The early platform took longer to develop than expected, but that investment became one of its strengths. Its in-house pharmacy operating system connects the patient experience, clinical services, pharmacy operations and delivery. With fulfilment sites in Manchester and London, the company can support the journey from diagnosis to delivery.

The proposition now extends across Phlo Clinic and Phlo Connect. Phlo Clinic provides on-demand prescribing, while Phlo Connect gives partner brands the infrastructure to offer regulated healthcare services under their own brand. The business works across D2C and partner channels. For patients, the value is a more convenient route to regulated care. For partners, it is a faster way to launch healthcare services with the right technology, clinical operations and supply chain behind them.

Looking ahead, the company is moving from reactive access towards more preventative healthcare. It is preparing a platform that would use diagnostics to understand baseline health and build a personalised healthcare stack around a patient’s goals. Its modular model means services can be used directly by consumers or white-labelled for partners. The next stage is about using technology to make regulated healthcare easier to access, easier to scale and more centered on how people want to manage their health.