EPS

With the vast amount of prescriptions issued each day across the whole of the UK it has become necessary to introduce the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), this allowing pharmacies to cope with the huge volume of prescriptions that is set to rise by at least 5% each year.

The EPS will allow for a massive reduction in paper prescriptions which will have a knock on effect with the patients, freeing them of long waiting times in the pharmacy, reducing GP visits for repeat prescriptions and giving patients the opportunity to choose which pharmacy they wish to collect their prescription from.

The EPS system will allow each pharmacist more time to dedicate to the welfare of the patient.

NHS BSA EPS/eRD webpage
Your Prescription Your Choice
Useful Links – EPS

NHS BSA EPS/eRD webpage

Click here to be redirected to the NHS BSA EPS/eRD webpage.

You can scroll down and select topics, to see resources including promotional posters etc.
By searching EPS dashboards it will take you to a list, scroll down and you will find both dispensing and prescribing dashboards.

Useful links:

• NHS Digital EPS page: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/electronic-prescription-service
• NHS Digital – link for prescribers: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/electronic-prescription-service/electronic-prescriptions-for-prescribers
• NHS Digital – link for dispensers: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/electronic-prescription-service/electronic-prescriptions-for-dispensers
  
  

Your Prescription: Your Choice

NHSE have revisited their process for “Your Prescription Your Choice” that protects contractors and patients from the issue of improper prescription nomination or nominations without patient consent.

Currently NHSE are suggesting the following protocol to support those who have concerns. It is a filter list, that flows down through the options that hopefully provides the widest, and fairest options to the patient and to the pharmacy contractor.

1. Display the “Your Prescription: Your Choice” poster (download here) and refer to it in conversation with patients as appropriate
2. Encourage patients to contact NHS England Directly via the “You prescription, your choice” route. [Display the poster (download here) and offer the form (download here)]
3. If patients are not minded to contact NHS England Directly, or if the pharmacist prefers, ask the patient to complete the Report Form which the pharmacist may then submit on behalf of the patient to the local NHS England office. For Lancashire & South Cumbria this is england.lscpharmacy@nhs.net
4. If the patient does not wish to fill out a form, seek the patients consent to share their name and address with NHS England, along with the details of when their nomination had changed without their permission or consent. This allows NHS England to at least verify the nomination and to add this to the concerns list

1. Remind patients that consent has three permanent elements:
   a. The patient MUST be informed clearly about the consent and implications
   b. The nomination consent MUST be voluntary and not induced in any way
   c. The patient must have capacity to agree to this nomination

Failure to ensure any one of these three elements = failure to obtain proper patient consent

Useful Links – EPS

EPS, Implementation and Business Change, NHS Digital:

General enquiries: 0300 303 5678 – enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk

Link to EPS front page http://systems.digital.nhs.uk/eps Links at the bottom of the page are useful.

http://systems.digital.nhs.uk/eps/gppractice has FAQs at the bottom of the page.

http://systems.digital.nhs.uk/eps/dispensing Similar for Pharmacy staff

http://systems.digital.nhs.uk/eps/dispensing has many links around responsibilities and the activities that should take place for a go live.