Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) Release 2

Avon Local Pharmaceutical Committee26th March 2014

Jane Schofield – Programme Manager

EPS Release 2

• Introduce myself and my organisation• EPS overview:

– What it is– How it works– Why it is needed– Benefits– Local project overview

• Smartcards• Nominations• Tokens & printers• Where to find more information

Introduction

• Emma Pace is the local Project Manager for the EPS Release 2 Project

• Southwest Commissioning Support (SWCS) provide commissioning and informatics support to:• Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and

Somerset Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs)• Community health organisations in Bristol, North

Somerset, South Gloucestershire • NHS England area team covering Bristol, North Somerset,

Somerset and south Gloucestershire• We are responsible for helping to implement EPS in GP

Practices across the area. • We are not responsible for implementation in BaNES; this is

covered by Central Southern CSU

EPS enables prescriptions to be sent

electronically from the GP to the dispensary

of the patient’s choice.

EPS in a nutshell

EPS Overview

Why is EPS Needed?

• Over 1.8 million prescriptions prescribed each day

• About 70% of prescriptions are for repeat medication

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

Number of prescription items dispensed each year (Millions)

Source: HSCIC

EPS – A phased approach

• Release 1 introduced the technical infrastructure to enable

prescribers and dispensers to operate the EPS. The

implementation of Release 1 is now almost complete with over

95% of GP practices and pharmacies live with the service

• Release 2 provides enhanced functionality for users which will

deliver tangible benefits for patients, prescribers, dispensers and

their staff

What's different in Release 2?

Electronic Signatures

Electronic repeatdispensing

Electronic cancellation

Electronic submission of reimbursement endorsements

Nomination

EPS – Benefits

Patients

• Greater Convenience• Increased freedom of choice• Reduced waiting times in the pharmacy

Prescribers/Prescription Clerks

• Potential reduction in workload• Easier to use repeat dispensing• Greater efficiency and control

Dispensers

• Greater efficiency• Streamlined workflow• Easier month end processing

Implementing EPS in a GP Practice

• Applications to implement EPS Release 2 have to be submitted at least 8 weeks prior to planned go-live date.

• The application has to be authorised by the NHS England area team• There is a standard deployment model that has to be followed. This

ensures that:– All organisations involved have sufficient notice to set up training,

smartcards etc– Practices want to go-live and have agreed a date– The practices and pharmacies have planned a date to meet to

discuss the changes to the business processes associated with the go-live

– The LPC has been notified and are engaged in the process

Standard Deployment Model

• Engagement between local practices, pharmacies and dispensing contractors

• Kick-off meeting with practices & pharmacies to agree what needs to happen before go-live

• Authorisation process • Order upgrades to GP IT system (if applicable)• Business process change session for participating practices and

pharmacies • IT system training (pharmacy system suppliers will provide this for

pharmacy staff)• Smartcard updates• Go-live and floor walking support for practices & pharmacies • Post go-live review • Handover to BAU

Smartcards

• All staff using the EPS system to interface with the Spine will need to register for their own card

• This means people who are:– Registering nominations– Pulling down EPS R2 message scripts– Confirming dispense – Requesting reimbursement

• Cards issued for EPS Release 1 will not operate on R2• Existing smartcards will need to be upgraded• Each authorised user of the service must have their own smartcard; smartcards

cannot be shared• Where staff already have smartcards, these should be checked to ensure that they

do not have duplicate certificates on them – (guidance is available on how to do this)

• SWCS will arrange smartcard clinics locally to check and/or process smartcard applications when your local practices go-live

Smartcards - Sponsors

• An individual who can approve access to information and functionality in applications such as EPS

• The sponsor grants approval of the appropriate Role Based Access Control (RBAC)codes so that staff have appropriate access to EPS, based on their job role.

• Sponsors are identified by the SWCS Registration Authority in conjunction with the EPS Release 2 Project board

• The current EPS sponsors are:– Lloyds pharmacy – Area managers– Other large companies – Area & store managers– Independent pharmacies and relief/locum pharmacies not attached to

a pharmacy – LPC Chair• The sponsor is expected to verify that the person is a pharmacist/dispenser and

will need to sign the form

Tell us your concerns…

Nomination

• The process that gives patients the option to choose or ‘nominate’ a dispensing contractor(s) to which their prescriptions can be sent automatically via EPS.

• Patients can choose up to three dispensing contractors, including:– one community pharmacy;– one dispensing appliance contractor;– one dispensing general practice.

• Nomination is a very flexible process. Patients can request for their nomination to be set, changed or removed at any time simply by asking a member of staff at any Release 2 enabled dispensing contractor or their general practice

Nomination

Key Principles• Patients must be provided with sufficient clear information about EPS before

nomination is captured• Dispensing contractors must not offer any type of inducement to encourage

patients to nominate them• Contractors will need to capture, record, and act upon patient’s nomination

requests in a timely manner• Prescribers and dispensing contractors must establish standard operating

procedures (SOPs) for nominationTop Tips• Start to identify patients for nomination from now• Prescription collection service is good source for potential nominations• Ensure all staff are aware of the nomination process including setting, changing

and cancelling a patient’s nomination and the impacts• Wherever possible try to ensure ALL patients PDS details are synchronised prior to

go live. This will help to ensure a smooth transition to EPS Release 2 as GPs cannot set nominations or issue Release 2 prescriptions without this happening

Tokens & Printing

Dispensing tokens -Factsheet for pharmacy staff

http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/eps/library/0912.pdf

Where can I find out more?

Health and Social Care Information Centrehttp://systems.hscic.gov.uk/eps/dispensing

http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/eps/library/pharmachecklist.pdf http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/eps/library/dontwaitnominate.pdf

PSNC websitehttp://psnc.org.uk/dispensing-supply/eps

What Practice staff are saying ..“EPS has physically reduced the number of patients collecting prescriptions at our GP Practice. We now don’t have any queues at peak times.“

Joanne Causer, Office Manager, Brooke SurgeryWhat Pharmacy staff are saying ..

"It's fantastic you can control the dispensing process from the very outset. So you've got more time to process prescriptions, in your own time when it's convenient, order the stock in and turn it around.“

Joanne Rowell, Pharmacist, Medichem, Sunderland