South London and Maudsley goes live with JAC

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust has gone live across the trust with a new pharmacy management system from JAC Computer Services, delivered as part of the NHS National Programme for Information Technology.

The JAC system was supplied to the trust by BT, the London local service provider under the NHS IT modernisation programme. JAC began implementation work on the project in March.

The new pharmacy management system replaces two previous systems with a single solution for sites across the Trust. Benefits should include improvements in the control of drug costs and real-time medicines information at the time of dispensing, providing the basis for e-prescribing.

Patient safety features such as clinical alerts on drug interactions will be provided using the First DataBank clinical drug database.

Mike Denis, director of information at the trust said: "This system’s development, part of a major rationalisation programme, marks a key milestone and foundation in the pathway towards integrated electronic prescribing. It is important to now focus on ensuring maximum realisation of benefits and exploit the service opportunities ahead.”

Robert Tysall-Blay, chief executive of JAC, said “This implementation is the first of several planned across London and we look forward to continuing to support NHS Connecting for Health, BT and the trust’s objectives in underpinning their electronic prescribing strategy."

Marek Stepniak, director of business development at BT’s Capital Care Alliance, BT’s London local service provider, said: “Pharmacy plays a vital role in the treatment of patients at SLaM. BT is delighted to be offering a product together with JAC that helps meets business needs inside trusts.”

The trust provides mental health and substance misuse services to people from Croydon, Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, and substance misuse services in Bexley, Greenwich and Bromley. The Pharmacy Department delivers vital patient care by managing the procurement and dispensing of drugs along with medication review services.