The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7236 p218
15 February 2003

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PPA: Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions (ETP) Pilots (more)

Common model to be sought for electronic prescription transfer

Following the completion of the first phase of the English ETP pilot trials in December, the three consortia — E-script (formerly Pharmacy2u), Flexiscript and TransScript — are now in discussions with the Department of Health and the Prescription Pricing Authority. The aim is to develop a "common model" incorporating the successful parts of each pilot scheme.

The Journal understands that this model will involve patients nominating a chosen pharmacy and that most repeat prescriptions will then be sent ("pushed" in IT jargon), possibly via a central server or relay, to that pharmacy. There will also be a "pull" system that will allow any pharmacy to request acute prescription data from the relay on presentation of a prescription.

Once the model is agreed, the Department will put its development out to tender. Multinational computer system suppliers are the most likely developers, industry sources suggest, and will produce a standard that pharmacy software suppliers will have to meet. Further details of this are likely to be released at a conference being held by the PPA in London at the end of this month.

Meanwhile, the three pilots have been given approval to continue for another 12 months. By the end of 2002, around 20,000 electronic prescriptions had been processed by the three consortia.