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PCTs to be added to the EPS authorisation directions from 1 December 2012

The national electronic prescriptions service (EPS) directions evaluation panel have approved 33 primary care trusts to be added to the EPS …

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The national electronic prescriptions service (EPS) directions evaluation panel have approved 33 primary care trusts to be added to the EPS Directions.  The next stage will involve the PCTs being listed here as the beginning of the three month notice period.

Release two of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS R2) allows the electronic transfer of prescriptions between prescribers and dispensers. Dispensing contractors can deploy EPS R2 whenever they want.  Prescribers however cannot use electronic signatures needed for EPS R2 until their PCT is included in the EPS directions.

To ensure that there is a level playing field and all dispensing contractors have an opportunity to respond to their local prescribers’ change in status, there must be a three month notice period between any announcement that a PCT will be added to the directions’ schedule and the updated directions being issued.  This will allow dispensing contractors an opportunity to prepare to receive electronic prescriptions.

The list of the 33 PCTs to be added to the directions are:

  • Barking and Dagenham PCT
  • Barnet PCT
  • Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT
  • Bristol PCT
  • Camden PCT
  • Enfield PCT
  • Halton and St Helens PCT
  • Harrow PCT
  • Hartlepool PCT
  • Havering
  • Knowsley PCT
  • Leicester City PCT
  • Lewisham PCT
  • Middlesbrough PCT
  • NHS Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT
  • NHS Calderdale PCT
  • NHS Gloucestershire PCT
  • NHS Kingston PCT
  • NHS Richmond PCT
  • NHS Stoke on Trent PCT
  • NHS Sutton and Merton PCT
  • NHS Wandsworth PCT
  • North Somerset PCT
  • Plymouth Teaching PCT
  • Redcar and Cleveland PCT
  • South Birmingham PCT
  • South Gloucestershire PCT
  • Stockport PCT
  • Stockton on Tees PCT
  • Surrey PCT
  • Swindon PCT
  • Torbay PCT
  • Wiltshire PCT

The publication of the list of PCTs to be added to the directions on 1 December 2012 on the DH website signals the commencement of the three month notice period. This will bring the total number of authorised PCTs to 116 from 1 December 2012.

Published 31 August 2012