Medco expands international footprint with UK venture

* Enters into joint venture with UK's United Drug

* Venture co will provide services to UK's NHS

CHICAGO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Medco Health Solutions Inc MHS.N., in a bid to expand its international footprint, said it entered into a joint venture with Dublin-based United Drug Plc to provide home-based pharmacy care services in the UK.

The joint venture, which will operate in the UK as Medco Health Solutions, plans to offer patients covered by the country's National Health Service (NHS) system homecare.

Services include prescription drug dispensing and home-delivery, on-site nursing for the administration of oral, injectable and infused agents, and case-management.

The joint venture company will work closely with the NHS to ensure the service offerings fully meet the UK health system's requirements.

Homecare pharmacy services currently comprise $1.6 billion of the UK's prescription drug spending, Medco said.

Over the past five years, investments associated with these services have grown at an annual rate of more than 20 percent, Medco said. (Reporting by Debra Sherman)