The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7378 p685
3 December 2005

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· Prescriptions (2)
· Controlled drugs (2)
· Medicines use reviews
· IT support systems
· Safety
· Complementary medicine

Letters to the Editor

IT support systems

Patient administration systems

From Mr A. P. Gledhill, MRPharmS

Keith Kirtland (PJ, 26 November, p660) is correct in emphasising the importance of decision support software in reducing and minimising prescribing errors. Secondary care has so far been unable to benefit from this technology due to lack of investment and poor information technology infrastructure. Fortunately that is now changing and most hospitals will have new nationally designed and accredited patient administration systems (PAS) installed over the next 12 months. When this is done it should be possible to start the implementation of sophisticated ward-based electronic prescribing and drug administration systems. As this software is still in development I urge senior pharmacists in secondary care to find out from their local service providers (see “Connecting for health” website) about what is the output-based specification, who is involved in their design, what local input is required and when the date of implementation is likely to be. We have been waiting too long for this technology and the sooner it is installed and up and running, the more lives will be saved.

Andrew Gledhill
Burnley, Lancashire

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