Healthcare technology firm Cegedim has become the latest pharmacy system supplier to support the roll out of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) in Wales.
Cegedim is one of eight suppliers working with Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) to deliver EPS, the biggest change to the prescribing process in Wales in decades.
EPS makes things easier and safer for patients and healthcare staff by allowing GPs and other prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to a pharmacy or dispenser of the patient’s choice.
This leads to a more convenient service for patients, increased efficiency for practice staff and dispensers and potential benefits for the environment, as it reduces the amount of paper prescription forms printed.
Cegedim has developed and tested its software to be able to receive electronic prescriptions in Wales, which is now being used in two branches of Nelson’s Pharmacy in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, as part of this process.
Jenny Pugh-Jones, Programme Oversight Chair for Primary Care EPS, said:
“We are delighted that Cegedim is supporting the delivery of the Electronic Prescription Service in Wales. EPS is already making a real difference to patients in every health board in Wales, and we look forward to Cegedim helping us to roll out the service to more communities as quickly and safely as possible.”
Tracey Robertson, Product and Technology Director for Cegedim Rx, said:
“We’re very proud to support Digital Health and Care Wales and to help them deliver the Electronic Prescription Service to community pharmacies across the country through our Pharmacy Manager platform.
As pharmacies face increased pressure to dispense ever greater numbers of prescription items and patient demand grows, digitising more of the prescription journey is vital. The benefits of this programme go beyond supporting pharmacy and GP practice teams and enabling them to improve efficiencies, it also ensures patients are more easily and conveniently able to access the care they need.”
EPS is part of the wider Digital Medicines initiative managed by DHCW. Software suppliers in Wales have been supported by the Community Pharmacy System Innovation Fund, established by Life Sciences Hub Wales (LSHW) and DHCW on behalf of Welsh Government.
Cari-Anne Quinn, Chief Executive Officer, Life Sciences Hub Wales, said:
“I’m delighted to see Cegedim joining as the latest pharmacy system supplier to support the rollout of the Electronic Prescription Service in Wales. EPS is already making a significant impact on patient convenience and operational efficiency, and we're proud to see this transformative service reaching more communities across the nation.”
The move away from a paper-based prescription process to a digital service relies on GP and dispenser IT systems being able to send and receive electronic prescriptions securely.
This year, Invatech, Boots, Positive Solutions and Clanwilliam have gained approval to roll out their software to their partner community pharmacies in Wales. Clanwilliam’s software, RxWeb, also underwent additional testing to support dispensing appliance contractors.
Cegedim follows EMIS and PharmacyX in testing its software, while Apotec has also entered the assurance process.