FUNDING BOOST: £1.3m for electronic prescriptions project in Lancashire

Hospital patients will no longer have to put up with illegible hand written prescriptions – thanks to a £1.3m funding boost.
A woman receiving her prescription medicineA woman receiving her prescription medicine
A woman receiving her prescription medicine

Lancashire Teaching Hospital Trust has been given the cash to develop a new electronic prescription system at its two hospitals in central Lancashire.

The Trust boss today said they were “delighted” with the funding boost.

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The new electronic prescribing and medicines administration (EPMA) system means that staff can now complete prescriptions at the patient’s bedside, which means the process will be much quicker.

It also eliminates issues such as illegibility and prescription errors and contributes to the ambition for the NHS to become completely paperless.

Nick Wood, consultant gynaecological oncologist and chief clinical information officer at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted to be awarded this funding.

“It’s great to know that NHS England recognises and has confidence in our ability to deliver the advantages to our patients and local health economy.”

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The EPMA system provides clinical decision support (CDS) to assist doctors and nurses in caring for patients safely and effectively.

It is incorporated within the existing electronic patient record and is aware of known allergies and blood results to avoid inappropriate prescribing.

The project will commence in April and is expected to run for 12- 18 months initially.

The funding comes from NHS England as part of the Integrated Digital Care Fund (IDCF) and the Trust which runs the Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital received the full amount of its funding request.

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The Integrated Digital Care Fund was launched by NHS England to facilitate the widespread adoption of modern, safe standards of electronic record-keeping in the health service.

Digital systems have the potential to benefit patients and clinicians by enabling safer, more joined up care through the sharing of comprehensive clinical information.

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