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Phoenix Healthcare Distribution has rolled out of a fleet of 39 new vans designed to exceed good distribution practice (GDP) standards, including temperature control for the medicines and other products being transported.

The company plans to eventually upgrade their whole fleet following trials, said Phoenix group managing director Steve Anderson, with 100 further vehicles already on order. The conversion for each refrigerated vehicle can take up to four weeks at an approximate cost of £8,000 to £10,000, he said.

The bespoke Mercedes vans are designed to maintain medicines at an ambient temperature of between two

and eight degrees, cooling and heating as required to maintain a consistent temperature within the storage section of the vehicle.

Drivers receive constant information on the temperature remotely inside the cab, and records are kept to so compliance with temperature requirements.

Alan Dennis, head of transport at Phoenix said: “These vans are not only leading-edge in their bespoke design for medicine distribution, they are also more environmentally friendly and provide a better working environment for the driver.”

Wholesalers are inspected by MHRA to ensure that they are meeting GDP requirements.

Savings could be made if the industry collaborated on developing standardised GDP compliant vehicles for the UK, suggested Mr Anderson.