Key Summary
- Pharmacies are accused of changing EPS nominations without patient consent
- This breaches NHS rules and risks delays and misuse of patient data
- CPE is raising concerns about IT systems that enable automatic re-nomination
The Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has expressed concern that some pharmacy owners were violating norms related to electronic prescription service (EPS).
The CPE said it has received complaints that patients’ consent was not taken by pharmacies while nominating or re-nominating them for EPS.
As per the terms of service, a pharmacy owner can nominate a patient in the NHS Patient Demographics Service (PDS), only if a patient had made such a request.
Patients can change their nomination without seeking permission from the currently nominated pharmacy.
Pharmacy owners cannot automatically nominate patients or reverse patient nominations, without their consent.
According to the guidance laid down by the NHS, while making a request for online prescriptions, the patients can choose a pharmacy where it can be delivered.
They can change their nomination within the NHS app.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) guidance says that changing patients’ EPS nomination without their concern can cause delay in the delivery of medicines.
It may also amount to a misuse of sensitive patient information.
CPE is also concerned that certain IT functionality available to some pharmacy owners appears to facilitate automatic patient re-nomination (without patient consent) and is discussing this issue with NHS England.
