1 July 2024
The roll out of electronic prescribing in Wales is continuing at pace, with Positive Solutions becoming the latest health tech provider to have its software approved for full use in its community pharmacies.
Positive Solutions is the third supplier to be given the go-ahead to use its Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) technology in Wales. They join Invatech and Boots in successfully developing and testing their pharmacy system to be able to receive prescriptions electronically.
EPS allows GPs and other prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy of the patient’s choice. In most cases, there’s no longer a need for the green paper form to be printed and taken to the pharmacy, reducing the use of paper in Wales and helping the environment.
EPS is a key part of the Digital Medicines transformation programme, managed by Digital Health and Care Wales, and is making the process of prescribing and dispensing medicines safer, easier and more efficient for patients and health care professionals,
EPS was launched in Rhyl, Denbighshire, in November 2023 and is now being used at a number of sites in north and south Wales. Roll out to all pharmacies and GP practices will begin in a phased approach this summer and will be done as quickly and as safely as possible.
Moving from paper to digital is a complex process, which relies on GP and community pharmacy IT suppliers building functionality into their systems to be able to send and receive electronic prescriptions securely. A number of other suppliers are in the process of upgrading their pharmacy system technology ready for use in Wales.
This development has been supported by the Community Pharmacy System Innovation Fund, established by Life Sciences Hub Wales (LSHW) and Digital Medicines on behalf of Welsh Government.
The move away from a paper-based prescription process to a digital service is one of the biggest changes to healthcare in decades and relies on GP and community pharmacy IT systems being able to send and receive electronic prescriptions securely.
To find out more visit the Digital Medicines website.