Seven Day Repeat Dispensing

The guidance relates to pharmacies receiving four (or more), seven-day interval electronic repeat dispensing prescriptions in a batch, and is intended to support:

• Efficient preparation of medication for batch prescription issues (Repeat Dispensing)
• Accurate prescription status information on the Spine, allowing for cancellation due to medication changes mid repeat dispensing cycle.

The recommended process is as follows:

1. Download the first issue from EPS2 as normal.
2. Reprint the first issue for each week’s medication being prepared, including the first week. if four weeks are being prepared
print four copies. Retain a copy of the first weeks token in a paper folder and use to manually track dispensing of subsequent
issues
3. Prepare the medication and accuracy check for each reprinted dispensing token
4. Once the first issue has been dispensed to the patient, send a dispense notification via EPS2.
5. The second issue will download automatically once the dispense notification has been sent for week one.
6. Clinical check the second week’s prepared medication against the second issue of the prescription, to ensure no cancellation
messages have been received and securely dispose of reprint of week one dispensing token.
7. Once the medication is handed to the patient send the dispense notification for the second issue.
8. Continue as above until the whole batch has been dispensed.

Since all installments of an electronic repeat dispense prescription are identical, it is acceptable to prepare (but not dispense to the patient) medication from the first issue, each subsequent issue will be a direct copy.  By sending the dispense notification only when the medication is dispensed to the patient, if a prescriber attempts to cancel a prescription or item, they will receive the correct messages in response.