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OUR VISION:
“Making the prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines everywhere in Wales easier, safer, more efficient and effective for patients and professionals through digital.”
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WELCOME TO THE DIGITAL MEDICINES NEWSLETTER
August 2024
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Welcome to the latest Digital Medicines newsletter, which comes hot from the Maes! We were part of Digital Health and Care Wales’ expert team at the National Eisteddfod at Pontypridd’s Parc Ynysangharad, where we were delighted to talk to people from across Wales about our work. In this edition, you can also find out about the latest progress with the Electronic Prescription Service. Happy reading! | |
Digital Medicines showcased on the Maes | |
Digital medicines were in the spotlight at the National Eisteddfod in Rhondda Cynon Taf this month, when two of our colleagues were invited to talk about the progress our programmes are making.
Dr Lesley Jones, lead for Secondary Care electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (ePMA), and pharmacist Jodine Fec were among the guest speakers in the Science and Technology Tent in Parc Ynysangharad, Pontypridd, on August 7.
Jodine explained the benefits that electronic prescriptions will bring to patients and healthcare staff as they become more widely available across Wales, while Lesley talked about how new digital systems will streamline prescribing in every ward in every hospital in NHS Wales.
Lesley said: “We were delighted to speak in the Science and Technology Tent and update on the progress of digital medicines.
“It’s an exciting time for prescribing and medicines management in Wales and it was great to engage with visitors to the Eisteddfod both in the tent and at Digital Health and Care Wales’ stand.”
Photo: Lesley Jones speaking at the National Eisteddfod 2024
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Photos L-R: Eisteddfod arch, Lesley Jones and Jodine Fec at the Eisteddfod sign, and Jodine Fec speaking in the Science and Technology Tent | |
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Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Andrew Evans sees
Electronic Prescription Service in action
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The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Wales, Andrew Evans, visited a Caerphilly GP practice and pharmacy recently to find out how the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is benefiting patients and healthcare staff.
Mr Evans visited the Village Surgery and Well Pharmacy in Llanbradach to see the impact of EPS, which has been available at these sites since the spring. He was joined by Jenny Pugh-Jones, Chair of the Primary Care EPS programme in Wales, and Mark Allen, Community Pharmacy Lead at Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), who are leading the roll out of the service across Wales.
Electronic prescriptions allow GPs and other prescribers to send prescriptions securely to the patient’s community pharmacy of choice. EPS makes things easier, safer and more efficient for patients and healthcare staff and is also good for the environment as, in most cases, there’s no longer a need for the green paper form to be printed and taken to the pharmacy.
Andrew Evans said: “I am delighted to see first-hand how the Electronic Prescription Service is already benefiting patients, GPs and pharmacists in Llanbradach.”
Read all about the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s visit on our website.
Photo: Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Andrew Evans, EPS Programme Oversight Chair Jenny Pugh-Jones and the Village Surgery team at Llanbradach
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Pharmacy system supplier Clanwilliam gains approval to roll out EPS software | |
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The delivery of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) in Wales is picking up pace, with Clanwilliam becoming the fourth pharmacy system supplier to gain approval to roll out its software in its community pharmacies.
Clanwilliam can now use its RxWeb system across Wales after robust monitoring at two pharmacies – Sully Pharmacy and MW Phillips in Cadoxton, Barry. The pharmacies worked in partnership with Sully GP Surgery to ensure that the software could receive prescriptions sent electronically, without the need for the green paper form.
The approval means that EPS can now be used at any pharmacy in Wales using RxWeb, as long as the patient’s GP surgery is able to send the prescription electronically and the pharmacy is ready to receive it.
Pharmacy system suppliers Invatech, Boots and Positive Solutions have already successfully completed the development and testing of their software systems.
Jenny Pugh-Jones, Programme Oversight Chair of EPS, said: “We are thrilled to see Clanwilliam gaining approval to roll out its software, becoming the fourth pharmacy system supplier in Wales to do so. This latest milestone shows the very significant progress that EPS is making in Wales, and I would like to thank everyone involved in reaching this stage.”
Read the full Clanwilliam story on our website.
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Shared Medicines Record testing continues | |
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Technical testing of medicines and allergies information in the Shared Medicines Record (SMR) is continuing. The SMR will allow clinicians to read and easily update medical records online, reducing errors and improving patient safety. We are continuing to work with local and national systems to identify the use of medicines and allergies information and assess the requirements for these systems to work together.
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Every month we like to shine a spotlight on our colleagues’ achievements. You may have read last month about Steph Allen’s plan to take some mighty strides for charity, and here’s how she got on! | |
Steph goes the extra mile – or two! – for Macmillan | |
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We’ve all heard of going the extra mile, but Senior Business Change Facilitator Stephanie Allen clocked up an extra two miles on top of an already strenuous half marathon hiking challenge in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support!
On July 6, Steph completed the Gower Peninsula Mighty Hike in memory of John Corbett, her friend Bethan Elis’ dad. Renowned photographer John, who was well known in the Swansea area for his work on local newspapers, passed away five years ago following oesophageal cancer. Steph and a group of friends wanted to do something special to mark the anniversary, so they signed up for the Mighty Hike Half Marathon – which, in the event, was a little longer than planned!
Steph said: “We completed our hike in about six hours, which was a little longer than we were aiming for but the route actually turned out to be 15 miles! We are already talking about completing it again next year – by then my legs will have recovered!”
To date, the team has raised £980 for Macmillan Cancer Support. If you would like to sponsor Steph, you can go to the Just Giving page here.
Photo: Senior Business Change Facilitator Stephanie Allen
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DIGITAL MEDICINES EVENTS AND ENGAGEMENT | |
Valuable GP and dispensing doctor feedback for EPS team | |
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July was a busy month for EPS Programme Manager Mat Friedlander Moseley and Digital Medicines GP Lead Dr Jonathon Campbell. They met with a number of Local Medical Committees (LMC) in Wales to update on the progress of EPS and answer questions.
Dr Campbell said: “We had some good feedback and lots of questions, mainly around dispensing doctors. As a result, we plan to set up further meetings so we can continue the valuable conversations.”
Photo: EPS GP lead Dr Jon Campbell
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Digital Medicines is making the prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines, easier, safer, more efficient and effective for patients and professionals through digital.
It brings together the programmes and projects that will deliver the benefits of a fully digital prescribing approach in all care settings in Wales. Digital Medicines coordinates four areas of work, all of which have connections with each other: Primary Care Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), Secondary Care electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (ePMA), Patient Access (through the NHS Wales App) and a Shared Medicines Record.
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