Pharmacybrands to rename amid expansion

Pharmacybrands is to rename itself Green Cross Health as it expands from pharmacies and into primary health care.

Pharmacybrands will rename itself as Green Cross Health as it moves to become an integrated primary healthcare services firm.

The Auckland-based company has largely been seen as a retail pharmacy, operating the Unichem, Amcal, Life Pharmacy, Radius and Care Chemist brands and running 28 medical centres.

This week, it bought a 50 per cent share of Total Care Health, its first expansion into the primary health care sector.

"Renaming our business Green Cross Health will more accurately reflect our growth as a group and our move to become an integrated primary health services provider," chief executive Grant Bai said in a statement on Friday.

"We believe we're in a strong position to lead and innovate in the health and wellness conversation."

The company's shares rose 1.6 per cent to $NZ1.25 on Thursday, and are unchanged this year.