A consortium called Transcript and comprising three major pharmaceutical wholesalers (Gehe, Unichem and Phoenix) and British Telecommunications together with Pharmed has submitted a bid to run a trial of the electronic transmission of prescriptions from prescribers to community pharmacies.
The consortium has support from the Independent Company Chemists Alliance, which comprises 13 independent pharmacy chains representing around 600 pharmacies across Britain.
In addition, the Transcript consortium has gained the support of general medical practice and community pharmacy computer suppliers, covering 50 per cent of GP systems and 85 per cent of pharmacy systems.
In a statement on November 15, Pharmed's operational director (Mr Martin Strange) said: "The consortium has well-developed plans and the necessary supporting technology to enable it to move towards a pilot well within the timetable proposed by the National Health Service Executive. In addition, as Pharmed has already completed a small scale ETP trial over 18 months, we understand the processes that would be involved in establishing and running such a pilot."
Transcripts hopes that more members will join the consortium and is actively recruiting more partners. All NHS and pharmacy supply chain organisations can join.
A BT spokesman said: "We hope it will grow from the current membership to become an industry-wide collaboration with the NHS."