Home EPS R2 Implementation Resources
This section of the site contains links to EPS Release 2 implementation resources:
Guidance on deciding when to upgrade to EPS Release 2
Guidance on selecting a supplier and making your system work for you
EPS Release 2 Deployment Checklists
When to upgrade to EPS Release 2?
It is still early days in the national deployment of EPS Release 2 but as the two largest GP system suppliers now have national roll-out authority, the rate of deployment is expected to accelerate in the coming months. Every pharmacy contractor will need to consider their individual circumstances and carefully weigh up benefits, risks, opportunities and costs to determine the optimal time to upgrade.
As a starting point, it is important to try and understand when local GPs are likely to start issuing electronic prescriptions, for example, does your PCT have authority to start directing prescribers to issue electronic prescriptions (see Part XVIIID of the Drug Tariff)? Which clinical systems do local GPs use and have these systems been granted EPS Release 2 full roll-out approval (definitive information on the development status of systems can be found on the Connecting for Health website)? Finally, when do local GPs expect to deploy EPS Release 2 (seek a view from local GPs or use the online deployment map on the Connecting for Health website?
Different suppliers have different lead times for deploying Release 2 upgrades so this also needs to be taken into consideration. More information on supplier's deployment plans can be obtained by contacting individual suppliers.
The benefits of Release 2 will only start being realised once a pharmacy starts receiving electronic prescriptions. Some pharmacies have chosen to upgrade to EPS R2 well in advance of their local GPs for a number of reasons including positioning themselves ready for EPS Release 2, to access the EPS Release 2 one-off allowance or to enable the pharmacy to begin technically setting patient nominations on the Personal Demographics Service (PDS), where patients have consented.
Where a pharmacy has not yet upgraded to EPS Release 2, it is still possible to start collecting patient consent for nomination. However, if there is a delay of greater than 4 – 6 weeks between collecting consent and changing the patient's preference on the Personal Demographics Service, the pharmacy contractor must confirm that there has been no change in the patient's circumstances, including their choice of nominated dispensing site. The deployment status of pharmacies in a locality can be found in the online deployment map on the Connecting for Health website.
When making a decision on when to upgrade, it is important to balance the opportunities and benefits of upgrading against costs and risks. System suppliers will be able to provide information on one-off deployment costs as well as any increases in ongoing costs for the system. If there is a significant gap between the pharmacy system being upgraded to Release 2 and starting to receive electronic prescriptions there is a risk that some costs will be duplicated, for example there may be a need to refresh staff training and if the system is not being regularly used by staff, there may be an increased risk that staff forget their individual smartcard passcodes.
For the time being, only 'nominated' prescriptions can be sent electronically. Once a pharmacy is EPS Release 2 enabled, they will be shown as such on NHS Choices and could be nominated by patients registered with any EPS Release 2 enabled prescriber, anywhere in England. To ensure patient access to medicines, once EPS Release 2 is enabled, at all times, there needs to be at least one staff member in the pharmacy with a functioning smartcard and the ability to use the system in case an electronic prescription is received.
Guidance on selecting a supplier and making your system work for you
Pharmacy systems are business critical so it is essential to give careful consideration to selecting a system supplier. A list of EPS Release 2 suppliers and a list of questions to support selecting a supplier can be found in the system supplier section of this site.
In developing their systems, pharmacy system suppliers are required to participate in NHS Connecting for Health's (NHS CFH) 'Common Assurance Process' which assures compliance with the requirements laid down by Connecting for Health. System suppliers have been provided with a functional specification from Connecting for Health. This defines what the system must do but there is still significant flexibility for suppliers in the way that systems are developed to support use of the EPS service. A list of possible discussion points to support engagement with suppliers can be found in the system supplier section of this site.
Planning Staff Training
To fully realise the potential of the Electronic Prescription Service and minimise disruptions, pharmacy staff need to be appropriately trained in how to use the system. Although it is still early days in the national deployment of EPS Release 2, problems have already arisen that are directly attributable to inadequate training.
Whilst system suppliers are responsible for delivering training in the use of systems, pharmacy contractors are responsible for working with suppliers to ensure that training is sufficient and meets the needs of individual staff. A list of things to consider when organising training can be found by clicking here.
EPS Release 2 Deployment Checklists
NHS Connecting for Health has developed a number of checklists to help pharmacies navigate their way through from preparing for EPS Release 2 to getting the maximum benefit after they have upgraded.
The first covers the time up to ordering a Release 2 system:
1 General preparation (PDF, 59.1kB)
The second covers the period right up to installing a Release 2 system:
2 Preparing to upgrade to EPS Release 2 (PDF, 59.1kB)
The final one covers the day Release 2 is switched on until it becomes business as usual.
3 Upgrading and using EPS Release 2 (PDF, 57.3kB)