§ Lord Clement-Jonesasked Her Majesty's Government:
How the interests of patients and general practitioners will be protected as the current electronic transmission of prescription pilots are replaced by a national programme for such services; and [HL3624]
What plans are in place to ensure continuity of care for patients who have grown to rely upon electronic transmission of prescription services as part of the current pilots, as wider plans are made to replace the pilots by a national programme; and [HL3625]
What plans are in place to avoid disruption to general practitioner practices that have supported the Department of Health's electronic transmission of prescription pilots, as wider plans are made to replace the pilots by a national programme. [HL3626]
§ Lord WarnerThe electronic transmission of prescriptions pilots have demonstrated that prescriptions can be transmitted electronically in an accurate and secure manner, and now having served their intended purpose they will be formally closed with effect from the end of June 2003. In order to ensure that patients do not experience difficulties in obtaining their prescriptions and to minimise inconvenience to healthcare professionals, an appropriate timeframe for ceasing the processing of electronic prescriptions will be agreed with the remaining pilots.
The pilots have been independently evaluated and this information is being used by the National Programme for National Health Service Information Technology to develop a sustainable, national prescription service.