InPS and TPP get go-ahead on electronic prescriptions
- 13 June 2006
Two of the major GP system suppliers have been given the go-ahead to roll-out their electronic prescription service (EPS) software to practices.
In Practice Systems and TPP have been granted authority for widespread deployment of their software after the software was tested at initial implementation sites. So far only one commercial pharmacy system supplier, AAH, has received authority to deploy together with the in-house software from Lloyds Pharmacy.
EMIS says it has just received permission to extend its deployment from an initial five sites to a further 20 practices and may get authority for wider deployment after that.
However Sean Riddell, deputy managing director of EMIS, said the company was keen for Connecting for Health to begin implementation of release two of the software which will include digital signing of electronic prescription messages, patient nomination of pharmacies and electronic reimbursement claims.
“We originally understood that would begin in August but we now understand that date may be slipping which is disappointing because that is where the real benefits to practices and pharmacies are.”
Riddell said it was important to ensure clinical safety issues were addressed before widespread deployment of software but that bureaucracies could sometimes hold back deployment when only minor issues were involved.
“It’s important to get that balance right and perhaps CfH hasn’t done that just yet,” he added.
Last month Connecting for Health announced that it had passed the million mark for prescriptions transmitted via EPS and latest statistics for the week ending May 30 show that almost 1.5million prescriptions have now been transmitted. However 1.3million prescriptions are generated daily and it is widely predicted that the target for EPS to be fully operational by the end of 2007 will not be met.
Latest statistics from Connecting for Health also show that 7,990 pharmacists have now been registered to receive smartcards in order to use EPS.
Links
