How to use electronic prescription services for medicine supply issues

Advice for prescribers and dispensers on how to use electronic prescription services effectively to help patients when there are medicine supply issues

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on NHS Digital

An electronic prescriptions service (EPS) allows prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to a dispenser of the patient’s choice; this makes the prescribing and dispensing process more efficient and convenient for both patients and staff – especially when a medical supply issue arises as it can improve stock control.

The NHS has provided essential guidance for practices on how to use an EPS effectively to help patients when there are medicine supply issues.

Guidance for prescribers

Non-nominated prescriptions – if your IT system supports it, send the prescription via EPS as a ‘non-nominated prescription’ – the prescription will then be signed electronically and sent to the NHS Spine.

Tokens – if the patient is present the prescribing system will default to printing a token. Tthe token should be given to the patient for them to take to a pharmacy of their choice. Tokens hold the same information as an FP10 – such as the medication(s) prescribed, quantity, dosage and instructions – however, as this is not the actual legal prescription, you do not need to sign this by hand. The pharmacy will scan the barcode on the token to retrieve the legal prescription from the NHS Spine.

If the patient is not present, and cannot collect the token, they can still go to a pharmacy and ask the staff there to download and dispense the prescription. In this case it is important to:

• provide the patient with the prescription ID – if this is not possible or practical, ensure that the patient knows their NHS number, or where they can find it, for example on a prescription repeat ordering slip, in the NHS App or online services;
• advise the patient to give the pharmacy their prescription ID or NHS number when they arrive.

This does not affect their usual nomination and the non-nomination will only apply to this prescription.

One-off nomination – if you know which pharmacy you want to send the prescription to, but this is different to the patient’s usual nomination, you can send the prescription via EPS with a ‘one-off nomination’. Apply a ‘one-off nomination’ to the alternative pharmacy; staff there will be able to download the prescription from the NHS Spine as soon as it is available; the patient does not need a token in this instance.

Guidance for dispensers

Higher volume of non-nominated prescriptions – prescribers have been advised to use non-nominated prescriptions when there are medicine supply issues. There may be a higher volume of non-nominated prescriptions in these instances, and some patients may present without a token – for example, following a remote consultation.

EPS tracker – ensure that pharmacy teams have access to, and know how to use, the EPS tracker, or the tracker built into your patient medication record system, so that they can identify and retrieve returned or non-nominated EPS prescriptions.

This may be useful where patients present at pharmacies other than their usual one and do not have the barcode details for scanning.