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<p>In ‘The future of healthcare: our vision for digital, data and technology in health
and care’, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care outlined
his ambition that the best technology available is used across the National Health
Service, including in community pharmacy. The use of technology can improve the safety
and efficiency of our services, and patients experience of them. Therefore, among
other things, the NHS is working with the pharmacy community to encourage the use
of technology by:</p><p>- Providing the Summary Care Record, which over 95% of community
pharmacies are using, supporting the clinical care they provide. NHS Digital is now
integrating the Summary Care Record into clinical pharmacy systems to make it quicker
and easier for pharmacy teams to access;</p><p>- Optimising the Electronic Prescription
Service, which is now used in more than 92% of general practitioner (GP) practices
and all community pharmacies. This means electronic prescriptions can be sent safely
and securely to pharmacies directly from GP surgeries. We are currently rolling out
electronic prescriptions for patients who have not nominated a regular pharmacy, which
will be available in all community pharmacies;</p><p>- Piloting a digital system in
several community pharmacies which automatically checks whether patients are eligible
for free prescriptions, simplifying the process for patients and ensuring that people
who are exempt from NHS prescription charges are not charged. Following a positive
evaluation, we are now planning national roll out; and</p><p>- Working with the Professional
Records Standards Body to publish new standards for data transfer between pharmacy
systems and the GP patient record and will underpin the growing connectivity of community
pharmacy service delivery with the rest of the NHS, for example allowing calls to
NHS 111 to be redirected to a community pharmacy wherever appropriate.</p>
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