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Patients will be able to book appointments for community pharmacy services through a smartphone app in 220 Day Lewis pharmacies, following a successful pilot in 60 of the multiple’s branches.
Mobile app Patient Access, which has 7 million users, initially only allowed patients to book appointments with their GP, order repeat prescriptions and view their medical records.
However, following a pilot in 60 Day Lewis pharmacies, patients will now also be able to book appointments for pharmacy services in 220 more branches over the next two months for flu vaccinations, smoking cessation support and medicine use reviews.
A spokesperson from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee told The Pharmaceutical Journal that this is the first app in the UK to provide the facility to book pharmacy services appointments online.
In a statement issued by EMIS Health, which operates Patient Access, the expansion is expected “to make it easier for pharmacies to play their part in relieving pressure on GP surgeries and to help patients find valuable local services” on their smartphone.
Pharmacists taking appointment bookings through the app and using the ProScript Connect patient medication record software are also able to send an electronic consultation summary of any service they deliver to the patient’s GP.
Sam Patel, executive director at Day Lewis, added: “Community pharmacy plays a vital role within the health network and by enabling greater patient visibility of the services offered by pharmacies and more choice, we are able to support both patients and the wider health network.”
Jason Keane, chief executive of Patient Access, said: “A key part of the ‘NHS Long Term Plan’ is focused on driving patients to community pharmacy for clinical services.
“Patient Access pharmacy bookings will support this by enabling patients to search, view and book a wide range of services in their local area.”
