EPS Phase 4 to be rolled out from 18th November

The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is expected to save the NHS time and around £300m in the next 3 years by reducing the amount of paper processing required by GPs, pharmacists and the NHS Business Services Authority. Following a successful pilot scheme, phase 4 will commence roll-out from 18th November, starting with GP practices using the TPP SystmOne system, and Clinical Commissioning Groups will manage the roll-out in their own areas with support from NHS Digital and the NHSBSA. There will be little impact on patients as paper copies of prescriptions will contain a barcode which pharmacy staff can scan to download their electronic prescription from NHS Spine, the secure NHS database.
Director of Digital Medicines and Pharmacy at NHS Digital, Dr Ian Lowry, said: “Every prescription that is sent electronically saves money for the NHS by increasing efficiency. The system is also safer and more secure, as prescriptions can’t be lost and clinicians can check their status online. Building upon the success of the existing service, this is a huge milestone to reach, and one which benefits patients, GPs, pharmacists and the NHS as a whole.”
Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Keith Ridge, said: “This is another major development towards making NHS services more convenient for patients in the digital age, offering an efficient, effective and safe service that also saves the NHS money.”
Director of Primary Care Services at the NHSBSA, Martin Kelsall, said: “EPS has the potential to deliver significant benefits to patients while saving millions of pounds that could be re-invested in patient care. This is especially true for patients who get regular or repeat prescriptions, using Electronic Repeat Dispensing, a process that allows regular medicines to be prescribed for suitable patients in batches of up to a year. Working collaboratively with NHS Digital, our EPS Support team has been working with primary care staff to maximise EPS use. As Phase 4 progresses, we’ll continue to work with prescribers and dispensers to support their use of EPS and eRD and promote best practice.”