Solent NHS Trust makes digital strides with new system to prescribe and manage medicines

Solent NHS Trust is getting ready to start using electronic prescribing and medicines administration (ePMA).

ePMA is already in use in the NHS and is a modern and digital way of managing and administering medicines which delivers many benefits for patients in hospital and community settings, and is part of the NHS Long Term Plan to bring in digital prescribing across the whole NHS.

Inpatient wards across Portsmouth and Southampton will be the first wave of Solent locations to see ePMA integrated into the award-winning community, mental health and learning disability Trust in the second quarter of 2022.

Dan Baylis, Chief Medical Officer at Solent NHS Trust, said: “We are excited to be bringing ePMA into Solent and expanding our innovative and collaborative ways of working. ePMA will enable us to manage patients’ drug charts in real time and handle them in an even more secure way which will ensure accurate dispensing every time.

“By moving from an outdated paper-based prescription system, ePMA will also enable Solent to make the processes around medications more efficient and therefore better value for money. In time, and with a patient’s permission, ePMA can offer the sharing of that person’s medicine requirements with NHS partners involved in their care and treatment, all in a safe and streamlined way.

“ePMA will enhance our patients’ experience and treatment and be a great tool through which we can continue to deliver great care.”

The introduction of ePMA will be phased in through inpatient wards, with patients’ and staff perspectives captured to evaluate how the system is working. This feedback will be vital in helping the Trust consider how the rollout might then be continued across into outpatient services too.