Prescribing software concerns

Ahead of the introduction of independent prescribing in CPCF services, Community Pharmacy England has raised concerns about the NHS IT arrangements.

Note, the below comment was first quoted in P3pharmacy.

Our Director of NHS Services, Alastair Buxton, said:

“The interim IT arrangements for the rollout of prescribing within the CPCF are far from ideal, with only one NHS-approved prescribing system, the need to use separate clinical record modules or systems from those pharmacies are currently used to using to record their Pharmacy First and PCS consultations, the consequent lack of GP Connect Update Record functionality and the lack of an MYS API, meaning a manual payment claim for each consultation will have to be made.

“We have provided frank feedback to NHS England and DHSC on the significant shortcomings of these interim NHS IT arrangements. Pharmacy owners considering providing CPCF prescribing services need to reflect on those arrangements as part of their overall consideration as to whether the operational and governance requirements to provide the service and the funding on offer make commercial sense for their business.

“The inclusion of prescribing within the CPCF is a strategically important development for community pharmacy and could be a gateway to a significantly expanded role for the sector. However, as we said at the time of the announcement of the 2026/27 settlement, despite our acceptance of the final CPCF offer, we are not persuaded that sufficient investment is being made to enable the full and effective introduction of prescribing, given the workload, enhanced clinical responsibility, clinical governance and infrastructure requirements that it will entail.”