Thursday 10 August 2017

Why Should I Use the NHS Electronic Prescription Service?

NHS Electronic Prescription Service

Are you aware of the fact that in the UK around two-thirds of prescriptions issued in primary healthcare are repeat prescriptions? According to one of the surveys, the NHS electronic prescription service accounts for nearly 80% of NHS medicine costs.

Every year, it is estimated that the NHS generates more than 400 million repeat prescriptions and approximately 330 million of all repeat prescriptions are replaced with repeat dispensing. This could save more two million hours of a GP practice.

The UK government introduced the repeat dispensing services in order to offer a more effective and convenient way to manage repeat prescriptions. The NHS electronic prescription service (EPS) can be used when the prescribing and dispensing system use EPS R2 (Release 2).

The Electronic Prescription Service enables patients to get their medications without having to visit a GP and collect a paper prescription. The medicines are made available for dispensing via a pharmacy that is nominated a patient.

A GP practice issues an online prescription using the EPS R2 prescribing system, which contains:
  • the intended interval between each repeat prescription issued
  • the number of times the repeat prescription can be given
Once a GP has prescribed a repeat prescription, it will be sent electronically to the NHS where it is available for download.

Currently, patients can only use the NHS Electronic Prescription Service after nominating a chemist. The pharmacy can access the electronic prescription and dispense your medication so that you can collect them without waiting in the pharmacy. And if you nominate an online pharmacy, you will receive your medication right to your home.

Who are eligible to use the NHS Electronic Prescription Service?

Patients who regularly need a repeat prescription are eligible to use the electronic prescription service. This includes patients with long-term conditions, requiring medicines on a regular basis.

Pharmacy Outlet offers the NHS Electronic Prescription Service from where you can get your prescriptions delivered to your home for free.