Digital prescribing in GP practices and local pharmacies (primary care)
Background
We are working with Digital Health and Care Wales on two parts of the Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio (DMTP). One of the pieces of work we’re supporting is related to primary care. It involves CDPS and DMTP working together with health boards and NHS Trusts. The aim is to improve the way medicine is prescribed and dispensed in GP practices and pharmacies in Wales.
Right now, a significant amount of the process is paper-based, but it will soon be moving towards a technology known as the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). This work is a key part of the DMTP which aims to make the prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines everywhere in Wales easier, safer, more efficient and effective.
This brings new opportunities to improve safety, as well as to improve the experience for patients and clinicians. But there are also constraints, new user needs, the ‘messy reality’ of day-to-day ways of working and existing systems and processes, barriers and drawbacks to understand.
What’s the goal?
To understand the needs and views of those directly involved in prescribing, dispensing, administering, managing and receiving medicines in primary care settings in Wales – including GP practices and local pharmacies.
What problems could the project solve for people?
Through this discovery, we hope to show health boards and local implementation teams the risks and opportunities of moving to electronic prescribing systems in primary care settings (GP practices and local pharmacies), so they can prepare safely, select the best options and implement in a way that provides most benefit.
Who’s involved?
Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) are CDPS’s partner in the discovery. CDPS are working with subject matter experts from the Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio and conducting user research with the people who are directly involved in prescribing, dispensing, administering or receiving medicines in primary care settings – including GP practices and local pharmacies.
What has CDPS done so far?
- built up a view of the end-to-end service and gained a better understanding of our service users through user research
- visited pharmacies and GP practices across Wales – spoken to the healthcare professionals who are involved in each setting and to the people who need medicine
- built a picture of what might need to change, and what the opportunities are for improvement
What’s coming up next?
Write recommendations for DHCW’s primary care team for them to take forward.
How does this work help deliver the digital strategy for Wales?
Mission 1: digital services
Deliver and modernise services so that they are designed around user needs and are simple, secure, and convenient.
Mission 5: digital economy
Drive economic prosperity and resilience by embracing and exploiting digital innovation.
Mission 6: data and collaboration
Services are improved by working together, with data and knowledge being used and shared.
Blog posts
How we’re moving towards electronic prescriptions in Wales – published 21 November 2022
Coming together to improve the quality of prescription services in Wales – published 2 November 2022
