Pharmacists told no deadline for EPS
Pharmacy representatives have told pharmacists that there is no deadline to implement the electronic prescription service (EPS) in fresh advice issued this week. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), the negotiating body for pharmacists, and the National Pharmacy Association which represents more than 6,000 pharmacy owners, have received increasing numbers of calls from pharmacists concerned […]
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PCTs register a third of pharmacists for smartcards
Around one in three community pharmacists have been registered to use a smartcard to use the electronic prescription service (EPS) according to Connecting for Health but pharmacy representatives and businesses are continuing to raise concerns about the speed of rollout. Connecting for Health has published its first figures on the registration of pharmacists for smartcards […]
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Warning on patient data from medicines reviews
Pharmacists are being warned not to e-mail medicines use reviews to GPs until concerns over confidentiality have been addressed. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee says there has been an “exponential increase” in the number of medicines use reviews (MURs) currently being carried out by pharmacists and that many GPs have asked to receive the MUR […]
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Pharmacists urged to contact PCTs on smart cards
Pharmacy representatives are telling pharmacists to contact their primary care trusts over smartcard availability as Connecting for Health publishes its first set of guidance for pharmacists on the electronic prescription service (EPS). The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee says it is “strongly advising” pharmacists to contact their PCT to find out what the local arrangements will […]
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N3 connections needed say community pharmacists
Lack of access to smartcards and the N3 network by community pharmacists is jeopardising the roll out of the electronic prescribing service (EPS) and important elements of the new pharmacy contract, according to the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC). But NHS Connecting for Health has rejected the claim, saying that the EPS is rolling out […]
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Seven pharmacy systems accredited for R1 ETP
Seven out of 11 pharmacy systems have attained technical accreditation for release one of electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) according to Connecting for Health (CfH). However technical accreditation does not equate to compliance which will only be achieved once a system has been successfully tested at an initial implementer site. CfH this week posted details […]
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Pharmacists advised not to sign ETP agreements
Pharmacists are being advised not to sign agreements for electronic transmission of prescription (ETP) enabled systems until guidance on compliance status is issued by NHS Connecting for Health. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has released a statement advising pharmacists not to commit to anything yet. It is understand that some suppliers are offering to […]
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MPs call for block on ETP ‘nomination’ plans
A cross-party group of MPs has backed calls for prescribers to be prevented from nominating pharmacies when electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) is rolled out. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) is already lobbying the government to stop the National Programme for IT’s plans to allow prescribers’ to nominate pharmacies. The PSNC claims prescriber nomination […]
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MPs told ETP plans may jeopardise patient choice
Pharmacist representatives have told MPs that plans to allow GPs and other prescribers to nominate a patient’s pharmacy for electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) will jeopardise patient choice. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) is lobbying the Department of Health and the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) to change the system so that choice of […]
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