National Patient Prescription Tracking Service (NPPTS)

The service aims to:

• Give patients visibility of their prescription journey through the NHS App;
• Help patients manage their prescriptions more easily using digital services; and
• Reduce calls and visits to pharmacies and GP practices for prescription updates.

NPPTS helps patients see where their prescription is in the dispensing journey using the NHS App or NHS website.

When a patient checks their prescription information, NPPTS retrieves the latest available status information and displays it within the NHS App. This information is drawn from NHS systems and participating pharmacy IT systems.

Depending on the pharmacy IT system and local workflow, patients may be able to see updates as their prescription progresses from prescribing through to collection or delivery.

For patients, this can provide reassurance that their prescription is progressing and help them better understand when it may be appropriate to collect their medicines. For some patients, access to this information may reduce the need to contact or visit the pharmacy simply to request a progress update.

For pharmacy teams, accurate prescription tracking has the potential to reduce routine “Is my prescription ready?” enquiries, allowing staff to focus more time on patient care and service delivery.

Why accurate status updates matter

The value of NPPTS depends on the quality and timeliness of prescription status updates generated during the dispensing process.

Where prescription information is updated accurately and consistently, patients are more likely to receive useful information about their prescription journey. This can help improve confidence in digital services and support greater self-service through the NHS App.

Some pharmacy teams may therefore wish to review how prescription status updates are generated within their pharmacy system and whether opportunities exist to improve the accuracy, consistency and timing of those updates.

Pharmacies may also wish to discuss with their supplier whether workflow enhancements, including barcode-supported processes such as scan-to-shelf, could support more efficient prescription tracking and improve the patient experience.

NPPTS is being introduced gradually across England as pharmacy IT system suppliers develop and deploy the functionality within their systems. All EPS pharmacy IT system suppliers have been invited to participate. Some suppliers have been able to introduce the functionality sooner than others.

The pace and approach to implementation may vary between suppliers and between pharmacy sites using the same system. In some cases, suppliers may recommend local workflow changes or additional functionality before enabling prescription tracking features.

Community Pharmacy England does not maintain a list of participating suppliers because supplier rollout plans can change over time.

For the latest information, visit the NHS England NPPTS webpage.

If your IT system supplier is rolling out NPPTS

As more patients use the NHS App to access healthcare information, expectations about prescription visibility are also likely to increase. Patients increasingly expect to be able to check the progress of their prescription without needing to contact their pharmacy or GP practice.

Pharmacies can help maximise the benefits of NPPTS by ensuring teams understand how prescription status information is generated and how patients may experience the service.

You may wish to:

• Review whether patient-facing communications should mention NPPTS;
• Ensure team members understand what prescription information patients may see within the NHS App;
• Consider whether standard operating procedures require updating;
• Understand which actions within your pharmacy system trigger prescription status updates; and
• Discuss with your supplier how to help ensure status information remains accurate and useful for patients.

See NPPTS as part of a wider opportunity

NPPTS is not just about displaying prescription information. It is part of a wider shift towards better-connected digital services, improved patient self-service and reducing avoidable administrative burden across the NHS.

The more accurately prescription progress can be reflected digitally, the more useful the service can become for patients.

For pharmacy teams, this creates an opportunity to review whether existing ways of working continue to support the best patient and operational outcomes.

Consider scan-to-shelf and other workflow improvements

Many pharmacies are understandably focused on managing immediate workload pressures. Finding time to introduce new technology or workflow changes can be difficult when teams are already busy delivering services and supporting patients.

However, some pharmacies find that making time for workflow improvements can deliver long-term benefits that exceed the initial effort required to implement them.

One example is scan-to-shelf and other barcode-supported dispensing workflows.

These approaches may help:

• Improve the accuracy of prescription status information;
• Support more consistent dispensing processes;
• Reduce avoidable manual handling;
• Improve stock visibility and workflow tracking;
• Help reduce routine prescription progress enquiries;
• Support safer and more efficient ways of working; and
• Create a stronger foundation for future NHS digital services.

Not every pharmacy will be ready to introduce these changes immediately. However, understanding what functionality is available and what would be involved in implementation can help pharmacies make informed decisions about future improvements.

Read more on our Scan-to-shelf webpage.

Speak to your supplier

Whether your pharmacy is already using NPPTS, preparing for rollout, or simply planning for the future, now is a good opportunity to speak with your pharmacy IT system supplier.

You may wish to ask:

• Is NPPTS available within our system?
• What prescription status updates can patients currently see?
• How are updates generated?
• Are there workflow changes that could improve the accuracy and timeliness of updates?
• Is scan-to-shelf or similar functionality available?
• What guidance, training or implementation support is available?
• What future developments are planned?

Even if implementation is not currently a priority, these conversations can help your pharmacy understand what is possible and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, patient experience and digital readiness over time.

If your IT system supplier is not yet rolling out NPPTS

You may wish to:

• Check the NHS England NPPTS webpage for updates;
• Ask your supplier about their implementation plans;
• Explain the potential benefits for patients and pharmacy teams; and
• Register your interest in future participation.

Pharmacy feedback helps suppliers understand customer demand and can support future development and deployment decisions.

Looking ahead

NHS England has indicated that future developments are expected to include NHS App push notifications to help patients know when prescriptions are ready for collection or delivery.

As prescription tracking services evolve, pharmacies that understand their systems, engage with suppliers and explore opportunities for workflow improvement may be best placed to benefit from future developments.

Thinking about scan-to-shelf? Many pharmacies are too busy to introduce workflow changes immediately. However, understanding what functionality is available within your pharmacy system today can help you identify future opportunities to reduce manual processes, improve prescription tracking and support more efficient ways of working. Speak to your pharmacy IT supplier about the options available and read our Scan-to-shelf guidance for further information.