Pharmacists urged to check NHS Choices data

Pharmacy representatives have advised pharmacists to check that information about their pharmacies on the NHS Choices website is correct or risk losing out when release two of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) begins later this year.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has told community pharmacists to verify the information on NHS Choices, in particular that the pharmacy name displayed is the pharmacy’s current trading name.

Information on NHS Choices www.nhs.uk is to be automatically updated by the NHS Business Services Authority Prescription Pricing Division (PPD) when pharmacies become release two enabled for EPS.

Release two of EPS allows patients to nominate pharmacies and prescribers will use the information on NHS Choices to locate and nominate a particular pharmacy on their prescribing system.

The NHS Choices website has been the subject of criticism from some GPs who discovered that information about their practices on the site was inaccurate or out-of-date.

Requests for changes to the name or address of a pharmacy displayed on the site should be put in writing to a contractor’s primary care trust. PCTs must then submit a change request to the PPD. Requests to change other information recorded including the pharmacy’s telephone number, opening hours and the services provided should also be sent to PCTs. This information can be amended directly by the PCT web editor.

Initial implementer sites for EPS are due to begin to October and Connecting for Health and the PSNC plan to issue guidance on the nomination function and on collecting patient consent for nomination shortly. 

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