Cegedim gets authorisation to deploy for EPS

Cegedim Rx has received authorisation from NHS Connecting for Health to deploy its pharmacy management system Nexphase for use with the electronic prescription service (EPS).

The company says that Nexphase is used in approximately 1200 pharmacies. The company expects one of its two other systems, Pharmacy Manager, which is used by approximately 2100 pharmacies in England, to receive approval in the next few weeks.

Simon Driver, managing director of Cegedim Rx, predicted that Mediphase, Cegedim’s third pharmacy management system, would be granted authority to deploy later in the year.

He added: “This is great news for our Nexphase customers and we are extremely pleased that we have completed the substantial development work required by CfH to attain this status. The next big step for us is now to deploy the software to the customers and then also to connect them to N3 through one of our specialist partners Pipex or Sirocom.”

Pharmacists have been paid a total of £2600 in two allowances to prepare for the introduction of release one of EPS and can claim £200 a month once they are in a position to start using EPS, that is that they have the compliant software installed, an N3 connection and smartcards.

Cegedim Rx says they are taking hundreds of forward orders for N3 connections as well as upgrades to EPS compliant hardware and software.

The only other commercially available system to be authorised for rollout by CfH is AAH’s Link Evolution system along with the EPS software developed by Lloyds Pharmacy. A total of nine other packages, including the two other Cegedim Rx products, are awaiting approval together with Boots’ in-house system.

A list of suppliers, their systems and their systems’ technical status is available on the NHS CfH website

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