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The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7183 p123-130
2 February 2002

ETP pilots head towards intensive beta-testing stage

The three pilot schemes for electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) are all heading towards more intensive beta-testing (the second stage of testing new software, involving selected users in normal operating conditions) of their systems despite software development problems and the withdrawal of another member from the TransScript consortium.

ETP roll out may take until 2006

Roll out of electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) is not expected to be completed until 2006, and this is the most optimistic view, according to Ewan Davis, chairman of PharMed, speaking at a conference this week on developing future pharmacy services.

A decision on roll out will follow reports to the Department of Health expected at the end of this year to evaluate the three recently started ETP pilots. PharMed is part of the TransScript consortium which is running one of the pilots. It is unlikely that the Department will choose just one of the three basic models of ETP currently being trialed but instead will combine the most successful aspects of each pilot to create a standard model for ETP in England, said Mr Davis. A barrier to progression of ETP is the delay in developing common coding systems between GP practices and pharmacies. It is hoped that these will be available by the end of 2002 and widely implemented by the end of 2003.

The conference was organised by IBC Conferences, a full report of the conference will follow shortly.

Phoenix Medical Supplies pulled out the TransScript consortium last month. With UniChem's withdrawal in December (PJ, 15 December 2001, p841), the consortium now consists of three companies owned by GEHE (PharMed, AAH Pharmaceuticals and Lloydspharmacy) and British Telecommunications. However, Martin Strange, operations director of PharMed, does not believe that this will be a great setback to the pilot. He told The Journal that PharMed was working closely with the suppliers of pharmacy and GP computer systems to iron out problems with integrating the separate systems. Further testing will start at 20 sites when updated software is installed. Mr Strange said that the consortium still expected to have completed the required six months of ETP and an evaluation report by the end of the year.

Julian Harrison, ETP project manager and commercial director at Pharmacy2u, was also upbeat about his consortium's pilot, saying: "We are pleased with our pilot. We have still got some work to do with the GP systems to ensure that repeat prescribing will function, but we have undertaken testing of individual message flows between GPs, pharmacies and the Prescription Pricing Authority. We are hoping to install new software this month and start further testing in March. We have started collecting data for the baseline evaluation of the pilot and we expect to make a report in December."

He added that initial feedback from pharmacists was positive, particularly about not having to rekey prescription data.

A spokesman for the Flexiscript pilot, which includes Boots The Chemists, National Co-operative Chemists and Sema, said: "We have successfully installed and tested the pharmacy leg of the system by downloading a number of test prescriptions and entering a live patient consent form. This work was completed before Christmas. We have also prepared a number of pharmacies for roll out."

ETP taking too long Trials of electronic transfer of prescriptions (ETP) have taken too long to get started, according to the All-Party Pharmacy Group. In a report (PDF* 130K) to Ministers of a meeting on the topic last year (PJ, 15 December 2001, p841), the group expresses concern about the time taken to start the trials, saying: "In our view it is important that these trials inform a roll-out programme as soon as possible, and that funding issues are addressed."

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