Sully surgery introduces electronic prescriptions

Monday, 11 November 2024 13:37

A surgery in Sully has become the first in the Vale to introduce electronic prescriptions.

The EPS service allows local GP practices to send prescriptions straight to the community pharmacy or dispenser of their choice.

In June, Sully Surgery became the first in the Cardiff and Vale health board area to implement the scheme - allowing patients to collect their prescriptions from Sully Pharmacy or MW Phillips in Cadoxton.

So far, it's not available from any other local practices - but health chiefs say they're working as quickly and safely as possible to roll it out to every community across Wales.

The new free service marks one of the biggest changes in decades to how prescriptions are managed by the Welsh NHS, making them easier and safer for patients and healthcare professionals.

The prescriptions can be sent electronically from a GP or another prescriber to a pharmacy or dispenser without the need for a paper form nor for patients to visit their surgery for a repeat prescription.

They can be tracked at all times by staff, who can see where a prescription is and eliminates the risk of a written prescription being lot.

Jenny Pugh Jones, EPS lead for Digital Health and Care Wales, said: "I’m incredibly pleased to see EPS live and benefitting communities in CAVUHB (Cardiff and Vale University Health Board)".

"We are now working hard to roll it out to every community across Wales as quickly and safely as possible."

Patients who want to use EPS do not need to go online or use a laptop or smartphone. They simply tell staff at their GP practice or nominated pharmacy or dispenser that they would like to use the service.