Pharmacy software supplier Rx Systems has become the second pharmacy supplier to achieve technical accreditation for Release 2 of the Electronic Prescription Service.
The company’s ProScript dispensary management system will now be tested with TPP’s SystmOne – the only GP system to be accredited for R2 – at Burrows and Close Pharmacy in Kimberley, Nottingham.
Rx Systems said the first test would be with ‘synthetic’ patients to test communication between the GP practice, pharmacy and NHS Prescription Services.
Then, a test attached to live pharmacy network will take place, processing 2,500 prescription items in up to five early implementer sites.
Ian Taylor, Rx System’s managing director, told EHI Primary Care that any practices selected would be running SystmOne as it was the only accredited GP system at the moment.
He said NHS Connecting for Health and early adopter PCTs were discussing appropriate pharmacy sites for the testing.
He added: ““The achievement of technical accreditation follows a long and complex submission of documentation and in house testing.
"We continue to work closely with CfH and are hopeful we will complete all the testing required by the first quarter of 2010 and then be ready to roll out to all our 2,000 clients in England."
Cegedim Rx’s Pharmacy Manager software was the first pharmacy system to be accredited for EPS R2 and went live at its first site in Leeds in July. No pharmacy system has achieved roll-out approval yet, although both Cegedim Rx and Rx Systems now have technical accreditation.
Taylor added: “This brings Release 2 a step closer and I would encourage pharmacies to continue processing Release 1 scripts and to start preparing their businesses in advance of EPS R2 going live.”