Invatech given green light to roll out electronic prescribing across Wales

In a further exciting milestone for electronic prescribing in Wales, the pharmacy system supplier Invatech has been given the green light to roll out its technology across Wales.

Completion of successful live testing at a site in north Wales makes Invatech the first of the community pharmacy system suppliers to be ready for wider use across Wales.

The new Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) allows GP surgeries to send prescriptions electronically to the patient’s choice of community pharmacy, without the need for a paper form.

Patients in Rhyl became the first in Wales to use electronic prescriptions in November 2023 when the service was launched at the town’s Lakeside Medical Centre and Wellington Road Pharmacy, using EMIS Group’s GP system and Invatech’s Titan pharmacy system.  

Since then, EPS has also benefited patients in Conwy, with prescriptions being sent from Llanfairfechan’s Plas Menai Surgery to two pharmacies. These are Boots in Llanfairfechan, which is testing Boots’ own pharmacy system, and Gwynan Edwards in Penmaenmawr, which is the second Invatech site.

Jenny Pugh-Jones, who is leading the Primary Care Electronic Prescription Service programme, said: “I am delighted that we have our first fully accredited community pharmacy system supplier. This is a significant milestone as we begin roll out and it demonstrates the co-operation between everyone involved.”  

“We are working to make healthcare better for everyone in Wales. Use of electronic prescriptions will make a massive difference and bring prescriptions up to date by streamlining a process that hasn’t changed in decades.”

Tariq Muhammad, Invatech Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted that our patient medication record (PMR) system is the first to be approved for EPS use in Wales. It’s going to bring great benefits to existing Titan customers and their patients, and we’re looking forward to enabling other pharmacies to take on the benefits, too.” 

“We know there is commitment from NHS Wales and Welsh Government to bring the benefits of EPS to patients and health services across Wales. We’re going to start our work with our customers straightaway, so these benefits can be realised as soon as the surgeries come on board.” 

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.

Cari-Anne Quinn, LSHW Chief Executive, said: “Invatech’s approval to implement electronic prescribing across Wales marks yet another significant leap forward in modernising healthcare delivery services in Wales.  

“With the power of technology, we’re streamling processes, improving patient care and making a positive impact on both healthcare professionals and the environment.” 

Joanna Dundon, National Digital Lead – Public Engagement, Digital Health and Care Wales and Chair of the Patients and Public Assurance Group, Digital Services for Patients and the Public Programme, said: “It is great to see this feature being rolled out across community pharmacies in Wales. This will improve the service for patients and the public by reducing the amount of time patients spend once they have ordered their repeat prescriptions online or having to travel to their GP practice to hand in paper prescriptions.”  

“We know from feedback we have received from those people using the NHS Wales App that this is something that they are really keen to use. Being able to see that their prescription has been digitised will be much appreciated.”

The introduction of EPS across Wales is a key part of the wider Digital Medicines initiative, managed by Digital Health and Care Wales. It will make the process of prescribing and dispensing medicines safer, easier and more efficient for patients and health care professionals, as week as helping the environment by saving up around 40 million paper prescription form from being printed each year in Wales. 

For more information and to sign up to the DHCW newsletter, visit www.dhcw.nhs.wales/dmtp