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This guide provides detailed processes for implementing EPS Release 2 in pharmacies, including nomination capture, dispensing, endorsement, and end-of-month procedures. It highlights key benefits, efficiency improvements, patient communication strategies, and system training requirements.
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Preparing for EPS2LPC AGMHaider Al-ShamaryEPS Project Manager
Where is EPS used? • GP practices (including dispensing practices) • Community pharmacies • Dispensing Appliance Contractors (DACs)
Release 2 overview Electronic submission of reimbursement endorsements Electronic Signatures Nomination Electronic cancellation Electronic repeat dispensing
Key benefits • Greater convenience • Increased freedom of choice • Reduced waiting times in the pharmacy • Electronic batch signing of scripts by GPs • Easier to use repeat dispensing • Greater efficiency and control • Reduced footfall • No lost scripts- prescription tracker • Greater efficiency/Streamlined workflow • Easier month end processing • Reduced collection of paper scripts Patients Prescribers/ Prescription Clerks Dispensers
“The key to success has been our close relationship with our community pharmacy colleagues. Traditionally we haven't spoken to them frequently but we have a number of meetings with them and we've come to understand each others' processes a lot better." John Hampson, GP Green Mount Medical Centre, Bury
Site preparation • Release 1 usage – PDS synch • Order dispensing tokens • Printing capability (2nd tray for dispensing tokens) • System training / SOPs • Smartcards -expired or don’t remember the pincode - email to Swindon office to be reset, with a covering note clearly explaining why the cards have been returned, and where they have to be sent. • Any staff that have an EPS01 card will need to complete the RA01 to be upgraded to EPS R2. They will not be required to present ID as they have already done this. • The sponsor will be responsible for authorising the access rights.
Key processes to consider before go live at the pharmacy • Approach to capturing nominations • Electronic Cancellation • Dispensing and downloading electronic prescriptions • Dispensing tokens • Electronic endorsement and patient declarations • Electronic claims • End of month processes
Approach to capturing nominations • Who will capture nominations in the pharmacy? • Consider patients who have delivery service • Consider process for inputting the nominations onto the system • How will you communicate with patients?
Dispensing and downloading electronic prescriptions • Consider process for requesting prescriptions (frequency/responsibility) • Overnight download • Requesting throughout the day • When will you send dispense notifications? • Clinical information from the prescriber needs to be communicated to the patient – how will you do this?
Dispensing tokens • Ensure dispensing token stationery has been received • Use of dispensing token for: • capturing signatures for payment/exemption declaration • giving to a patient who needs to go to a different pharmacy to collect their medication • aiding with dispensing process
Electronic cancellation • Ensure all staff are aware of electronic cancellation • What do cancelled prescriptions look like in the system? • Consider a local process for returning prescriptions to the spine if a GP practice advises they wish to cancel a prescription after it had been downloaded in the pharmacy
Electronic endorsements and patient declarations • Ensure all staff are aware of capturing patient declarations and ensure they are recorded on the system • Capture patient signatures on the reverse of tokens • Electronic prescriptions must be electronically endorsed. Paper prescriptions must be endorsed and submitted in the usual way • Do not handwrite endorsements on tokens, these will not be used for pricing • Ensure electronic exemptions are correct before sending
Electronic claims • All electronic prescriptions must be claimed for electronically • An electronic claim can only be sent once the prescription has been completed; items should be marked as either ‘dispensed’ or ‘not dispensed’ • Consider when you will be submitting electronic claims • on patient collection, end of day, in batches, weekly • Once an electronic claim has been sent to NHS BSA Prescription Services, it cannot be amended or cancelled
End of month Processes • One FP34C form must be completed and submitted to the NHS BSA Prescription Services to cover both paper and electronic prescriptions • The NHSBSA has a new “ask us” facility on their website in the EPS section • https://nhsuk.epticahosting.com/selfnhsukokb/template-group.do?name=NHS+Prescription+Services&id=5201 Understand month end process in relation to tokens • Signed tokens need to be separated from the FP10 paper prescriptions at the end of each month and sent to the NHS BSA Prescription Services • Age exempt patient tokens to confidential waste
Gary Warner, Pharmacist, Regent Pharmacy, Isle of Wight "We have found that EPS has reduced the risk of labelling errors and has meant that we often receive repeat prescriptions earlier."
Business Continuity
Business continuity and troubleshooting • Ensure local processes are in place to continue dispensing process if EPS becomes unavailable either nationally or locally • How are you going to work if: • A patient’s prescription does not arrive at the dispenser site straight away? • GP system is unavailable? • Dispenser system is unavailable? • EPS is unavailable nationally?
Business continuity and troubleshooting • Surgery to pharmacy / pharmacy to surgery contact • Know who to contact for hardware support • Know who to contact for software support • Sign up for alerts: http://nww.hscic.gov.uk/servicemanagement/status/subscribe • Prescription Tracker: https://nww.spine2.ncrs.nhs.uk/prescriptionsadmin/ Smartcard status: http://nww.hscic.gov.uk/eps/cardexaminer/start.html
Raising support calls Ensure you know how to log calls to your supplier and know their escalation procedures Pharmacy: Escalation procedures should be obtained from your supplier. It is important to: • Keep a log of calls made, ref numbers and time to resolve • Follow up and escalation
Training and Support • Plan training in advance of going live or in pharmacy case before your local GP practice goes live • Consider the best time to undertake EPS training • Consider what kind of training will work best in the GP practice/pharmacy
Patient communication Patients should be fully informed: 1. Nomination is not mandatory 2. No need to collect paper prescription from the GP practice 3. Patient can choose where they wish to nominate 4. Nomination is flexible and can be changed or removed by their GP or any EPS2 pharmacy 5. Not restricted to nominating a pharmacy close to the GP practice
