Your Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) outpatient prescription

Your Outpatient Prescription

The Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is being used at West Middlesex University Hospital (WMUH) to send outpatient prescriptions for certain medicines from certain clinics directly to a community pharmacy of the patient’s choice. This initiative has been introduced to improve the patient experience, in response to patient feedback.

The EPS system is the same system used by GPs to prescribe medicines. The hospital will only prescribe medicines via this system that are readily available in community pharmacies.

If the medicine can be prescribed via the EPS system, this leaflet aims to explain the process.

If the medicine cannot be prescribed via the EPS system, you will be issued a hospital electronic prescription, which can only be dispensed by the WMUH outpatient pharmacy.

Your clinician will tell you what type of prescription you have been issued.

Why am I receiving my prescription this way?

In response to patient and staff feedback about waiting times and queues in the outpatient pharmacy, we have explored options to improve the service we give to patients.

This solution has been introduced to reduce queues and waiting times, and to improve the overall patient experience.

If you are issued an EPS prescription:

You will not receive a paper prescription
Your prescription will be sent electronically to a community pharmacy of your choice
You will not be able to collect your prescription from the hospital outpatient pharmacy

Please discuss your preference with the clinician.

How does it work?

If you require a medicine and it can be prescribed via the EPS system, the following steps will apply.

Step 1: Allergy and medication check

The clinician must be informed about allergies and other medicines you may be taking. Please ensure you inform the clinician about:

All other medicines you are taking, including:

Regular or long-term medicines and occasional or “as-needed” medicines
Inhalers, creams, eye drops
Vitamins, supplements, herbal remedies

Any allergies, especially drug allergies or previous reactions

With your consent, your clinician can also complete this important safety check by accessing information in your GP record.

Step 2: The medicine(s) will be prescribed

Step 3: You choose your pharmacy

A clinician will ask you which community pharmacy you want your prescription sent to. This can be your usual ‘nominated’ pharmacy, or a different pharmacy if you wish.

If you’re not sure which pharmacy to choose, we’ll help you.

Step 4: Your prescription is sent electronically

It will be sent electronically to the nominated community pharmacy. You will not be given a paper prescription, but once transmitted, you will see the prescription and nominated pharmacy details in your NHS App.

Step 5: Collect your medicine at your chosen (nominated) community pharmacy

Simply visit the nominated pharmacy to pick up your prescription. If you are asked for a prescription ID, you can show the pharmacist your prescription ID or barcode in your NHS App.

If prescribed this way, you will not be able to collect this prescription from the WMUH outpatient pharmacy.

Why this improves your care

Faster access to commonly prescribed medicines
A quicker and smoother hospital visit with less time spent waiting
Your prescription is sent to a pharmacy of your choice
A better experience if you receive care virtually
Reduced waiting times at the hospital outpatient pharmacy for patients who still need to obtain their medicines from there
Medicines can be obtained from a pharmacy closer to home
Greater access to medicines, especially at weekends when the hospital pharmacy is closed but selected community pharmacies are open
Improved sustainability as it is a paperless system

Need help or have questions?

If you have any questions about:

Your prescription
Where it was sent
When to collect your medicine

Please speak to the clinician treating you today. You can also contact your chosen community pharmacy, whose details appear in the NHS App after the prescription is sent.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have concerns or wish to give feedback about services, your care or treatment, you can contact the PALS office on the Ground Floor of the hospital just behind the main reception.

Alternatively, you can send us your comments or suggestions on one of our comment cards, available at the PALS office, or via the feedback form on our website: Send us feedback — Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

We value your opinion and invite you to provide feedback.

Chelsea site

T: 0203 315 6727
E: chelwest.cwpals@nhs.net

West Middlesex site

T: 0208 321 6261
E: chelwest.complaints.team@nhs.net