IT group progresses workstreams at its quarterly meeting

At its recent meeting held on 9th June 2021, the Community Pharmacy IT Group (CP ITG) considered a range of topics and discussed various IT developments with NHS colleagues, including:

• COVID-19 vaccination programme IT and pharmacy team experiences of NHS Digital’s National Booking System (NBS).
• EPS Next Generation: NHS Digital has improved some of the underlying EPS infrastructure so that system suppliers can work with them on future EPS enhancements, such as EPS functionality for methadone instalment prescribing.
• Care Identity Service 2 (CIS2): This NHS Digital project could allow pharmacy EPS/SCR usage without a physical Smartcard. Care homes have been testing this by accessing SCR using iPads.
• CPCF IT and CPCS IT support: NHSE&I provided updates about changes to Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) IT system and work by IT system suppliers to align with the CPCS IT toolkit. The group welcomed news that the draft CPCS IT toolkit will be published imminently and that four CPCS IT suppliers (Cegedim, PharmOutcomes, Positive Solutions and Sonar) will be expected to align to the CPCS IT toolkit ahead of 1st October 2021.
• Integrated Care Systems (ICS) and local digital priorities: CP ITG and LPCs will be invited to a Virtual LHCRs/ICS Event: for LPCs and CP ITG (1st July noon-1.30pm). LPCs and contractors can comment on template local digital priorities docs (list or slides) and examples of LHCR or local digital priority papers can be sent to it@cpe.org.uk.
• Opportunity to feed into ‘NHS Service Finder’ user research project: group members, pharmacy contractors and their teams can email it@cpe.org.uk if you would like to take part in this NHS Digital user research.
• CP ITG IT infrastructure survey: The group are encouraging all pharmacy contractors to feed into the recently launched IT arrangements survey.
• Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPTK): PSNC has issued communications and guidance. If you would like to feed into next year’s question set, please contact it@cpe.org.uk.
• Pharmacy IT projects, supplier capacity and related Gantt chart: System suppliers highlighted that there are many major IT integration projects ongoing which necessitate prioritisation of their development work. Major projects have been charted for use by group members (slide/spreadsheet).

The group will be publishing a quarterly IT round-up bulletin later in the month.

About the group: Members of the CP ITG are drawn from PSNC, NPA, RPS, CCA and AIMp. PSNC provides the secretariat for the group. Pharmacy contractors, IT system suppliers, the NHS Business Services Authority, NHS Digital, NHS England and NHS Improvement and NHSX likewise participate in the group’s meetings and work. For more information, please visit the CP ITG webpage.