Electronic Prescription Service –Highlight Report

Period 13 October 2015 to 17 November 2015

Michelle Peet

EPS Project & Business Change Manager

Nottinghamshire Health Informatics Service

Email:

Mobile: 07540 672938

Local Deployment Update

The total number of GP Practices live with EPS across Nottinghamshire is 92/143 or64%.

CCG – Number/Percentage of GP Practices live with EPS

CCG / Noof Practices / No Live / % Live
City / 57 / 37 / 65
Mansfield & Ashfield / 28 / 19 / 68
Newark & Sherwood / 13 / 10 / 77
Nottingham North East / 21 / 14 / 67
Nottingham West / 12 / 7 / 58
Rushcliffe / 12 / 5 / 42

A number of Dispensing GP Practices have expressed an interest in EPS howeverthe EPS software is currently only compatible with non-dispensing patients.

Confirmed go Lives

Lenton C22/10/2015 – cancelled re-booked for 03/02/2016

Queens BowerC12/01/2016

St Mary’sC12/01/2016

Strelley Health CentreC13/01/2016

The Om SurgeryNNE19/01/2016

PeacockNNE20/01/2016

Church Street (11b)NW20/01/2016– cancelled

PeacockNNE20/01/2016

AcornMA28/01/2016

MayfieldsC28/01/2016

Ashfield Medical CentreMA28/01/2016

High Green (Mary Potter)C02/02/2016

Phillips NV BilboroughC10/02/2016

Lime Tree SurgeryC08/03/2016

Torkard HillNNE09/03/2016

Church WalkNW21/04/2016

Demonstrations Booked/Completed

Low Moor RoadM&A

The Surgery SelstonM&A

Radford Medical CentreC

University ParkC

Oaks Medical CentreNW

Melbourne ParkC

West End SurgeryNW

Sunrise Medical PracticeC

Wollaton ValeC

GamstonR

Sandy LaneM&A

NEMs Platform OneC

Dr N Phillips Radford HCC

Oakdale Road, BakersfieldC

CCGS:

C – City, MA – Mansfield & Ashfield, NNE – Nottingham North and East, NS – Newark & Sherwood, NW – Nottingham West, R – Rushcliffe

National Deployment Update

Latest statistics (9th November 2015)

5,563 (70%)GP practices live

11,574 (98%) Pharmacieslive

95 (85%) Dispensing Appliance Contractors (DACs) live

162,342,905Release 2 prescriptions sent to date

365,610,543Items dispensed and claimed to date

16,148,606Patients have a community pharmacy and / or a DAC nomination

53% average live site usage in September 2015

LATEST NEWS FROM HSCIC

EPS Release 2 – Phase 4

In the future, EPS will become the default option for prescribing, dispensing and reimbursement of prescriptions in primary care in England. Paper prescriptions will continue to be available for special circumstances, but the vast majority of prescriptions will be processed electronically. It will no longer be mandatory for patient's to nominate a specific dispenser in order for their prescription to be processed electronically. Patients will be able to choose what works best for their personal circumstances, with nomination remaining for the many patients where it clearly delivers benefits.

All patients who do not have a nomination will be offered a 'token' to present at a pharmacy to obtain their medication. This token will contain a unique barcode which can be scanned at any pharmacy to retrieve the medication details and dispense the medication. Patients will be able to choose whether they receive their token on paper via their GP practice or electronically via secure online services.

It is expected that these new changes will increase the proportion of prescriptions sent electronically to around 90% where a practice is live with EPS. Some prescriptions will remain unsuitable for transmission by EPS, for example where there are constraints on the prescribed drug. Further developments will look to address these restrictions and maximise EPS volumes.

EPS has already delivered benefits to over 15 million patients who have set up a nomination to receive their prescription electronically. This includes time savings at the GP surgery and pharmacy, a chance to select any dispenser to receive their prescription and a more secure method for transporting their prescriptions. It also streamlines the processes for GPs and dispensers for repeat prescriptions and prescription collection services, as well as delivering benefits for the tracking of prescriptions and reimbursements from the NHS Business Services Authority (BSA).

The future changes to EPS will also deliver the following benefits:

  • Patients will have more choice about where they collect their prescriptions and will not have to visit the GP to collect their prescriptions.
  • There will be more options for how prescriptions are obtained e.g. paper and electronic tokens.
  • GPs and dispensers will be running one main process for prescriptions with all prescriptions defaulting to electronic, ensuring a more efficient, faster service.
  • Less use of paper and less time spent on prescription administration will deliver financial savings across the NHS.

It is recognised that a move to Phase 4 will significantly increase the volume of electronic prescriptions, so it is vital that all elements of the service are robust. Following discussions with a range of stakeholders, a number of areas of focus have been agreed:

  • Patient needs are understood to develop a service that is easy and efficient.
  • Contracts are in place with all dispensing system providers to ensure an efficient and consistent service across the country.
  • All dispensers receive refresher training on how to get the most out of EPS.
  • A full review of how the EPS service is supported in live operations and delivery of recommendations from the review.
  • Business continuity plans are in place to minimise the negative impact on patient experience and business processes should any system issues or failures occur.
  • Schedule 2 and 3 Controlled Drugs can be prescribed and dispensed using EPS and are available at all live EPS prescribers and dispensers.

The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is looking to introduce the change between April 2016 and March 2017. Further information on the dates and how this will be implemented across the country will be made available over the coming months.

In addition changes are required to both prescriber and dispenser contracts and these negotiations are led by NHS England.

An outline of these key items and the progress made to complete them is given in thisreport

Michelle Peet - EPS Project & Business Change Manager

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