The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies are a community owned organisation that opened on the 1st of October 1921. The Maryborough store still trades from its original location and the capital for the store was raised from residents of the Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Howard, Tiaro and Torbanlea districts.
As early as 1916, members of the various Friendly Society Lodges throughout the district expressed their desire to have their own dispensary. They agreed to contribute one shilling per member, per year, until they had sufficient capital to establish a dispensary. The capital raised in this manner was made a gift to the Dispensary Association.
A description of the Association could be a “co-operative with no shareholders, only members who receive benefits by paying a yearly subscription.”
Over the years, profits that have not been distributed to members by way of extra benefits have been used to improve the dispensary. Today, The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies has 9 Pharmacies and 3 Independent Living stores. These stores are located in Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Tinana, Gympie, Nambour, Childers, Chancellor Park, Forster and Kempsey. The Friendlies is still a community owned organisation that is focused on providing benefits to its members and the community.
Last year, The Friendlies gave away over $1,000,000 to the community in discounts, vouchers, donations and sponsorship.
Our Mission
To foster membership and service the needs of our members, primarily in pharmaceuticals and related health products and services.
Our Values
The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies actively seek to grow our membership through enhancement and innovation that will allow the provision of the most affordable products and services, which are sustainable on a long-term basis.
Exemplary Service
The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies will provide the broadest range of community pharmacy healthcare services while ensuring that each contact is an informative, precise and gratifying experience that will engender further business.
Resources and Technology
The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies will embrace and utilise technological advancements to improve our customer service and organisational efficiency while increasing employee job satisfaction. The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies will continue to invest in information technology to improve the satisfaction and shopping experience of our members.
Integrity and Honesty
The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies observe a Code of Conduct that prohibits unethical or improper practice. This Code of Conduct requires fair and honest dealings with our members and customers and provides a safe and enjoyable equal opportunity workplace for our employees.
Training and Opportunity
The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies are committed to recruiting, training, promoting and supporting outstanding staff in order to assist them to meet the primary objective of providing exceptional customer service.
Quality Care Pharmacy Program (QCPP)
At The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies we recognise that the Quality Care Pharmacy program has been designed to achieve quality assurance standards specific to pharmacy and to raise the standard of customer service and care in individual pharmacies across Australia. We recognise that the future of Community Pharmacy lies in providing high quality advice and service, not simply the dispensing of medication.
Consumers have a right to expect that the standard of advice and service offered will not vary greatly between pharmacies, and will never fall below an acceptable level. At The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies we set very high personal standards of customer service and are always striving to exceed expectations.
The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies has gained accreditation under the Quality Care Pharmacy Program, or QCPP. This means the independent peak industry body has assessed The Friendlies Discount Pharmacies and awarded us their world-class quality assurance. This quality assurance standard is specific to pharmacies.
The purpose of the QCPP is simple: to encourage an ongoing commitment to develop first-rate community-care pharmacy services. We’re proud to be the first pharmacy chain in Australia to receive QCCP accreditation. We’re proud to have achieved our QCPP accreditation; we don’t believe our customers deserve anything less.
