Health and Community Services has implemented a new electronic prescription system which will reduce waiting times at the Hospital Pharmacy and improve patient safety.
From 1st May most prescriptions written in HCS will be submitted electronically to the Hospital Pharmacy via the Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) system. Most patients will no longer receive a paper prescription.
This change is part of an ongoing commitment to streamlining processes and improving medication safety and operational efficiency throughout HCS.
This shift to electronic prescriptions offers several advantages to patients:
- Patients no longer need to drop off their prescriptions Because prescriptions are transmitted electronically to the Hospital Pharmacy, Islanders no longer need to queue to drop off paper prescriptions.
- Reduced wait times It’s easier for the Hospital Pharmacy to identify urgent prescriptions and start processing these before patients arrive to collect them.
- Enhanced medication safety Electronic prescribing reduces the likelihood of prescribing errors, as well as alerting clinicians to risks related to drug interactions and other potential medication problems through clinical decision support.
There are a few exceptions where paper prescriptions will continue to be issued, and the relevant services within HCS are aware of what exceptions apply.
Kevin Smith, Pharmacy Services Manager, said: “The Pharmacy dispenses around 800 items a day, with up to 250 people attending at the outpatient pharmacy every working day. For our small, dedicated Pharmacy team, electronic prescribing makes it easier and safer to screen, process, and supply medication. And because Pharmacy staff are not trying to decipher handwritten prescriptions, the risk of medication errors is reduced.”
Professor Enda McVeigh, Consultant Gynaecologist – Sub-Specialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, said: “This transition to electronic prescribing and medicines administration is a significant milestone in our digital health transformation programme, which aims to provide Islanders with a safer and more efficient healthcare experience.”
