Complete guide to NHS electronic prescribing in the UK — EPS (Electronic Prescription Service), CPOE, drug interaction checking, controlled drug management, and e-prescribing software.
NHS England mandates all hospitals to have e-prescribing by 2027. Medication errors cost the NHS £1 billion annually. CPOE reduces errors by 55% and adverse drug events by 70%.
E-Prescribing Software Features
| Feature | Priority | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CPOE | Critical | Computerised provider order entry for all medications |
| Drug interaction checking | Critical | Real-time DDI, allergy, duplicate therapy alerts |
| NHS dm+d integration | Critical | Dictionary of Medicines and Devices for drug data |
| EPS integration | High | Electronic Prescription Service for outpatient prescriptions |
| Controlled drug tracking | Critical | Schedule 2-5 CD management with audit trail |
| Dose checking | Critical | Weight-based, renal, age-appropriate dose validation |
| Medication reconciliation | High | Compare admission, inpatient, and discharge meds |
| eMAR | Critical | Electronic medication administration record with barcode |
| Antimicrobial stewardship | High | Track antibiotic use, restrict broad-spectrum |
| Prescribing analytics | Medium | Track prescribing patterns, cost, safety |
NHS Controlled Drug Management
- Schedule 2 (morphine, oxycodone): Full CD register, witnessed administration, quarterly returns
- Schedule 3 (temazepam, buprenorphine): CD register, no witness required
- Schedule 4 (benzodiazepines): No CD register, but controlled prescriptions
- Schedule 5 (low-strength opioids): Minimal controls
- Accountable Officer: Every NHS trust must have a CD Accountable Officer
- Electronic CD register: Digital CD register with audit trail and alerts
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the NHS Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)?
- EPS allows prescriptions to be sent electronically from prescriber to dispenser. EPS Phase 4 enables electronic prescribing in hospitals — prescriptions sent directly to hospital pharmacy or community pharmacy. NHS England mandates all hospitals to have e-prescribing by 2027.
- What is CPOE and why does it matter for NHS hospitals?
- CPOE (Computerised Provider Order Entry) allows clinicians to enter medication orders directly into the EHR. It eliminates transcription errors, provides real-time drug interaction checking, and standardises dosing. CPOE reduces medication errors by 55% and adverse drug events by 70%.
- How much does e-prescribing software cost in the UK?
- NHS e-prescribing software costs £200-2,000/month in the UK. Adrine includes CPOE, drug interaction checking, EPS integration, controlled drug tracking, and NHS dm+d (Dictionary of Medicines and Devices) at £29/month. Enterprise systems like EPIC Willow or Cerner Pharmacy cost £1,000-2,000/month.