Vision has become one of the first clinical software providers to go live with the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) for controlled drugs (CDs), enabling a fully electronic system for prescription management.
Today, 93.1 per cent of practices and 98.7 per cent of pharmacies in England are live with Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). Until now however, controlled drugs (CDs) such as morphine or pethidine have been beyond the scope of EPS. As a result, patients, prescribers and dispensers have had to manually correlate two types of prescriptions: traditional paper based formats and electronic. However, in order to safely and effectively dispense the right drugs for patients at the right time, full and easy visibility of each individual’s prescriptions is vital. The need for and benefits of a fully electronic system have now been recognised by the NHS, and Vision has helped lead the way for GPs to send Schedule 2 and 3 CDs via EPS.
Russell Blackmore, Commercial Director for Vision, comments: “As a technology partner to the NHS, we are continuously looking for ways to improve workflows, increase efficiencies and support better patient outcomes. The electronic management of CDs is a milestone in the roll out of EPS and we are honoured to be a trusted partner in the scheme.”
Vision was one of the first GP systems to pass through testing and assurance with NHS Digital and to go live with EPS for CDs, beginning from the 2nd of October 2018. The piloting began in Yorkshire, the north west and London, and following the success of this pilot, the system is now being rolled out across all Vision sites from the 24th of January.
Commenting on the extension of the service Dr Vishen Ramkisson, Senior Clinical Lead for Digital Medicines and Pharmacy at NHS Digital says, “This will make a particular difference to those who need controlled drugs the most, such as those nearing end of life who use this medication to manage pain and control unpleasant symptoms. More efficient processes and fewer visits to drop-off paper prescriptions will help make sure these patients can be more comfortable. It will mean a better experience for patients and more efficient services for dispensers and prescribers.”
“The pilot has completed with excellent results, making us confident to roll out the process nationally.”
About Vision
Vision is one of the leading suppliers of primary healthcare software and the only company to supply systems to GP practices across the whole of the UK To learn more, visit www.visionhealth.co.uk And follow Vision on Twitter: @VisionChatter, LinkedIn and Facebook