Start Using EPS
(http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/eps/patients)
Ask a receptionist or at any pharmacy or dispensing appliance contractor that offers EPS to add your nomination for you. Nomination means you choose a place for your GP practice to electronically send your prescription to. You don’t need a computer to use EPS. You can choose up to one of each of the following:
- A pharmacy.
- A dispensing appliance contractor (if you use one).
You can change your nomination or cancel it and get a paper prescription. If you don’t want your prescription to be sent electronically just tell your GP. If you want to change or cancel your nomination speak to any pharmacist or dispensing appliance contractor that offers EPS, or your GP practice. Tell them before your next prescription is due or your prescription may be sent to the wrong place.
EPS is reliable, secure and confidential. Your electronic prescription will be seen by the same people in GP practices, pharmacies and NHS prescription payment and fraud agencies that see your paper prescription now.
Sometimes dispensers may see that you have nominated another dispenser. For example, if you forget who you have nominated and ask them to check or, if you have nominated more than one dispenser.
Dispensers will also see all the items on your reorder slip if you are on repeat prescriptions.
Benefits
If you collect repeat prescriptions you will not have to visit your GP practice just to pick up your paper prescription. Instead, your GP will send the prescription electronically to the place you choose, saving you time.
The prescription is an electronic message so there is no paper prescription to lose.
You will have more choice about where to get your medicines from because they can be collected from a pharmacy near to where you live, work or shop.
If the prescription needs to be cancelled the GP can electronically cancel and issue a new prescription without you having to return to the practice – saving you extra trips.
You may not have to wait as long at the pharmacy as your repeat prescriptions can be made ready before you arrive.
You Can Get all These Benefits if you:
- Have a stable condition.
- Don’t want to go to your GP practice every time to collect your repeat prescription.
- Collect your medicines from the same place most of the time.
- Use a prescription collection service now.
You Will Not Get as Many Benefits, if you:
- Don’t get prescriptions very often or,
- Pick up your medicines from different places.
Read on if you want to know more about EPS.
I Care for Someone Who has Regular Prescriptions, can we use EPS?
Yes, if the person you care for gets regular prescriptions you will no longer need to make trips to the practice just to collect a paper prescription. You can choose a pharmacy near to where you work, live or shop so you can collect the medicines when it is convenient for you.
To set the nomination you or the person you care for will need to ask someone at the GP surgery or at any pharmacy or dispensing appliance contractor that offers EPS to add the nomination. You don’t need a computer to use EPS.
Less Time and Money Spent Visiting the GP Surgery and Pharmacy
- No need to go back to the pharmacy for medication that is owed to you, as the pharmacy will know what you need in advance.
- No need to visit your GP practice just to collect a paper prescription as they are sent electronically.
- If there is a problem with your prescription, your GP can cancel and replace the prescription electronically, so you won’t have to return to your GP practice to collect another one.
- Your dispenser can prepare your repeat prescription in advance so it is ready for when you arrive.
More Convenience and Choice
- Choose where your prescriptions are sent, whether near your home, where you shop or where you work. This is flexible and can be changed at any time, just let your doctor or pharmacy know.
- Collect your next prescription in advance to cover holidays.
- If your GP offers a telephone or video consultation, there’s no need to leave the house just to collect your prescription as it will be sent electronically to your chosen pharmacy for collection.
- No need to send stamped addressed envelopes as prescriptions are sent electronically.
Improved Safety
- Electronic prescriptions cannot be lost so you won’t have to spend time trying to find them or asking the surgery to issue another paper prescription.
- Electronic prescriptions are more accurate which will reduce the risk of receiving the wrong medication.
If you are Unhappy With the Nomination Process
Patients must be provided with sufficient information about EPS and give their consent before a nomination is recorded.
If you are unhappy with your experience of nomination, you can complain to the pharmacy, dispensing appliance contractor (DAC) or GP practice. You can also complain to NHS England or their local NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) if your complaint cannot be resolved.