NHS Electronic Prescriptions Service (EPS)
From the 14th May 2015 Greystone House will be using the NHS Electronic
Prescribing Service (EPS).
Under this service, instead of a paper prescription being printed and collected, the
prescription can be sent electronically to the patient's chosen pharmacy.
This is an optional service: if you want your prescriptions to be sent electronically,
you must speak to your chosen pharmacy and nominate them officially.
Patients will not automatically have their prescriptions sent this way - it is an OPT-IN
service.
The NHS EPS is a secure and confidential service and your electronic prescription
will only be seen by the same people who see your paper prescription now (GP
practice staff, pharmacy staff, NHS prescription payment and fraud prevention
agencies)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q) Will the way I order my medication change?
A) No, you will still need to request your medication either directly at the surgery or
inform the pharmacy if they normally order on your behalf. If you use our online
repeat prescription request service please carry on as normal. If you wish to start
using our online requesting service please ask at reception for log in details (Proof of
ID required)
Q) If I don't get a paper prescription any more, I won't get a repeat order form
so how do I request my next prescription?
A) The pharmacy can give you a repeat order form when they give you your
medication.
Q) How long will my repeat prescription take?
A) Please allow 2 full working days for us to process and send repeat prescriptions.
Prescriptions are not processed at the weekend.
N.B. If an update or review is needed please allow more time as the doctor may
need to see you before issuing more medication.
Q) If my prescription is electronic, how will you know where it is?
A) There is an audit trail on the computer so we can see if it is still at the practice
awaiting approval or has been sent electronically to the pharmacy.
Q) Can all medication be sent using this electronic system?
A) No. Certain medications, such as as controlled drugs, must still be prescribed in
paper format at present.
Q) I have prescriptions for catheters sent by post to the appliance company.
What will happen to these?
A) These can still be printed and sent by post or you may nominate a company to
receive them electronically.
Q) The pharmacy currently orders and collects my paper prescriptions. Will
these automatically be converted to electronic ones?
A) No. If you wish to change to electronic prescribing, you will need to nominate your
chosen pharmacy to receive your prescriptions electronically. If you do not wish to
change, then paper prescriptions will still be produced for collection.
Q) My paper prescription is currently sent automatically to the pharmacy. Will
anything change?
A) If you have nominated your pharmacy to receive electronic prescriptions as well
as paper ones, then your prescription will be sent to them electronically in future.
Q) I use different pharmacies depending on where I am. Is this service suitable
for me?
A) This service is more suitable for people who use the same pharmacy all the time.
Q) I was using one pharmacy all the time but now I want to change to a
different one. How do I do this?
A) You can change your nominated pharmacy either by informing the old or new
pharmacy or by informing the surgery (forms available at reception).
Q) I have started using the Electronic Prescribing Service but find it does not
suit me. Can I go back to paper prescriptions?
A) Yes. Please inform your pharmacy or the surgery (forms available at reception)
Q) I have moved here from another area which was already using the
Electronic Prescribing Service. Will my nominated pharmacy be changed
automatically to a local one?
A) No. When you register with the practice we will remove the existing nomination to
prevent prescriptions unintentionally being sent to a pharmacy which may be many
miles away. Please choose a new pharmacy that is convenient for you and let them
or the surgery know you wish to nominate them (forms available at reception)
ELECTRONIC PRESCRIBING REQUEST
Please could I nominate the following pharmacy:
I understand the NHS Electronic Prescription Service and confirm that I have
nominated the above pharmacy to receive my prescriptions electronically. I
understand that I can change or remove my nominations at any time.
Full name…………………………………………………Date of birth……………………..
Signed……………………………………………………..Date……………………………..