EPS - Electronic Prescription Service

Question 1

What is the EPS

Answer 1

• Electronic Prescription service that allows prescriptions to be sent electronically from GP surgeries to a pharmacy
• Makes prescribing and dispensing more efficent/ more powerful analysis of data

Question 2

What is the NHS spine

Answer 2

a national secure central server of patient and NHS service information

Question 3

What is the function of the NHS spine

Answer 3

To store:
- Patient data
- Patient clinical information
*this supports the EPS

Question 4

What is EPS phase 1

Answer 4

Phase 1 - EPS release 1
Normal prescription with the prescribers signature but with a barcode
Useful: reduces data input error
Drawback: more complex PMR needed

Question 5

What is EPS release 2

Answer 5

a patient chooses a dispensing site for their GP practice to send electronically
the pharmacy prints the electronic dispensing token and supplies medication to the patient
Nominations can be:
- a pharmacy
- a dispensing applicance contractor
- a dispensing GP practice

Question 6

What is EPS release 2

Answer 6

full electronic system prescriber digitally signs prescriptions like fp10 and prescriptions are sent electronically from the GP to the pharmacy
Pharmacy nominated: prints off electronic rx, dispenses, supplies med

Question 7

What is an eRD

Answer 7

electronic repeat dispensing service ( batch prescriptions

Question 8

How does eRD work

Answer 8

for batch prescriptions
day 1 - prescriber orders it and sends it to the pharmacy
day 21- drops down to the pharmacy automatically
day 28- patient collects it
pharmacy marks as collected
cycle repeats until batch is finished

Question 9

what is the EPS prescription tracker

Answer 9

used to find the status of an eps prescription
enter a barcode or search by patient NHS number to find where a prescription is
- if the prescription at another nominated pharmacy.

Question 10

what is eps phase 4

Answer 10

for patients without a nomination.
patient is given a token and takes it to their chosen pharmacy where it is scanned and dispensed.( can also use NHS number) Here they can discuss whether an EPS nomination could be set

Question 11

What are the problems with EPS

Answer 11

Instructions for use in latin code - increase in safety error
Drug field details in instructions field

Question 12

What are benefits of EPS vs paper for patients, GP surgery staff and pharmacies

Answer 12

patients - faster service
gp - less staff needed to process, greater profit
pharmacy - fewer collections of rx from gp surgeries

Question 13

what are problems of EPS for patients, gp surgery staff and pharmacies

Answer 13

patients- patient unaware of rx if on eRD
GP surgery staff - problems with writing correctly
pharmacies - technical issues wrongly written prescriptions