Home Release 2
The roll out of Release 2 of the service will signal the start of Phase 3 of implementation. Release 2 will support the use of advanced electronic signatures, e-repeat dispensing, patient nomination of their selected pharmacy, the cancellation of e-prescriptions, and the submission of prescriptions electronically to the NHS Prescription Services. Click on the links below for guidance on the key changes:
Electronic Prescriptions (Including controls on who can issue electronic prescriptions)
Supporting Local Deployment of EPS Release 2
Patient Nomination of a Dispensing Site
Cancellation of Electronic Prescriptions
NHS Dictionary of Medicines & Devices
Electronic Submission of Prescriptions for Reimbursement
Pharmacy system suppliers have a degree of flexibility in how their systems will support the dispensing process in future. It is therefore essential for pharmacy contractors to engage with system suppliers, to provide feedback and make suggestions for the further development of software to ensure that pharmacy systems continue to support the efficient delivery of the NHS community pharmacy service. A range of potential questions that contractors may want to ask their supplier can be found in the system supplier section of this site.
Detailed training and guidance on the operation of individual Release 2 enabled systems will be provided by pharmacy system suppliers.
PSNC is working to ensure that all costs and other resource implications are identified and assessed.
Steering the Future Direction of the Service
During the January 2010 PSNC Committee meeting, the Committee took the decision to commission an independent piece of work that PSNC could use to influence future developments. This work includes reviewing the key risks, benefits, costs and opportunities of the current EPS system (EPS Release 2) and making recommendations on what future changes can be made to reduce the risks and maximise the benefits of the service to pharmacies.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am not EPS enabled yet; do I need to explain the EPS to patients?
Yes, the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005 state that pharmacy contractors must explain the Electronic Prescription Service to patients, whether or not it is a service which is available through the individual contractor. The regulations also require that where the service is not available at a pharmacy, the contractor shall provide the patient with contact details of at least two pharmacies in the locality in which the service is available, if this information is known to the pharmacist.
What should I be doing now?
PSNC is urging all pharmacy contractors, if they have not already done so, to contact their chosen system supplier and make arrangements to upgrade to EPS Release 1. Once enabled, pharmacy staff should use the EPS service to dispense prescriptions where practical to ensure that any problems with the system are identified and can be resolved before EPS becomes business critical in EPS Release 2. Problems should be reported to pharmacy system suppliers who can escalate the issue to NHS Connecting for Health where necessary.
It is important for pharmacy contractors to also take time now to learn about EPS Release 2 and make suggestions for the further development of software to ensure that pharmacy systems continue to support the efficient delivery of the NHS community pharmacy service.
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