We are a group of final year students at the University of Bath,conducting a study on implementing Electronic Prescription Services.
During our research, we have some unanswered questions and wondered if there were any views on these issues:
1) When using Release 2 of EPS, how is repeat dispensing carried out? For example if an elderly patient comes into the pharmacy and requests 4 out of 6 of the repeatable medicine, how is this carried out? Has it improved from the paper slip system?
2)There has been some confusion over the end of the month procedure in EPS2. Please can you tell us your experiences. How do you submit prescriptions to the PPD electronically?
3) In large stores there may be multiple terminals, from the research carried out, we have found that sometimes only the pharmacist has a smartcard, how is dispensing carried out?
Thanks in advance for your contribution.
Electronic Repeat Dispensing
AFAIK the patient has a barcoded form which triggers the download of the next RD. The form resembles a current FP10 but is AFAIK white in colour, and does not hold status as a legal prescription - i.e. nothing can be supplied against it.
When scanned, the next issue of the RD is downloaded and processed as a normal e-prescription. However, the major benefit of electronic repeat dispensing is that the patient can use any pharmacy (with the FP10 RA/RD they can only use the pharmacy where they had the 1st RD dispensed).
Also, I understand that PCTs issue a 'premises card' for each pharmacy. However, a pharmacist role smartcard is required to download e-scripts - only dispensing can be done with the premises card AIUI?
NHS Connecting for Health is the body responsible for this work - they have a website and are very helpful.