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Three further pharmacy system suppliers have been granted approval to roll out software for the electronic prescribing service (EPS) in Wales, meaning all seven system suppliers in the country can now support the service.
In an announcement made on 17 January 2025, Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) said healthcare technology firms Cegedim Rx, EMIS and PharmacyX can now receive electronic prescriptions, with any pharmacy using these suppliers’ software able to use the EPS, “providing they have completed a number of readiness activities”.
“The approval means that all seven pharmacy system suppliers who have contracts with pharmacies in Wales are now supporting EPS here, which marks a significant milestone in our aim to move from a paper-based prescription process to a digital system,” the statement said.
“[The] EPS makes things easier, safer and more efficient for patients and healthcare staff, as well as helping the environment as it reduces the amount of paper we print.”
Jenny Pugh-Jones, programme oversight chair for the primary care EPS programme at DHCW, commented: “There has been real collaboration between suppliers, our EPS programme team, community pharmacies, GP practices and other partners to reach this milestone. EPS brings a number of benefits to patients in Wales, and I’m delighted it will now reach more areas in the coming months.”
Elen Jones, director for Wales at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), said: “Introduction of a national electronic prescribing solution has been a long-standing priority for us at RPS Wales, having been one of our manifesto calls for political parties ahead of the 2021 Senedd election.
“It’s been great to see the progress over recent years, and we’re delighted that all pharmacy system suppliers in Wales are now able to support the EPS,” she added.
“This is a significant milestone in the digitalisation of prescriptions, which will improve patient convenience and safety while helping to reduce workload pressures in community pharmacies and GP practices.
“We look forward to pharmacy teams being supported throughout the transition to enhance patient care and to seeing the benefits of EPS experienced fully across Wales.”
A spokesperson for Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) said: “CPW is encouraged and reassured by the progress that pharmacy systems suppliers continue to make in gearing up for the EPS.
“CPW has always been eager to ensure that all pharmacies in Wales can operate on a level playing field as EPS is rolled out and ensuring that pharmacy systems are capable of supporting the service is clearly an important pre-requisite.”
Other system suppliers able to deliver the EPS in Wales are Invatech, Boots, Positive Solutions and Clanwilliam, “while Apotec has entered the assurance process”, DHCW said.
“Since the launch of EPS in November 2023, more than 700,000 prescription items have been dispensed via the service,” it added.
“It is benefiting patients in areas of every health board in Wales and is available in 25 GP practices and more than 150 pharmacies. It is being rolled out as quickly and as safely as possible.”
The EPS in Wales launched in Rhyl, North Wales, in November 2023, with Wellington Road Pharmacy and Lakeside Medical Centre in Rhyl being the first community pharmacy and GP practice, respectively, to use the service.
In September 2024, DHCW announced that a Boots pharmacy in Old Colwyn, Conwy, North Wales, dispensed the country’s 100,000th prescription via the EPS.
