The Welsh government has today officially launched a funding initiative that will help pharmacy IT system suppliers deliver the electronic prescription service in community pharmacies across the country.

Under the Community Pharmacy System Innovation Fund, UK-registered IT suppliers who can provide or have the potential to provide pharmacies in Wales with digital services, can apply for a grant of up to £111,562.50.

The application process opens in 10 days’ time and closes on October 3 next year. The Fund is being administered by Life Sciences Hub Wales and the Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio on behalf of the Welsh government.

The Welsh government said applications must be based on projects that “develop and implement the changes necessary to community pharmacy systems to enable EPS in a Wales-based pharmacy via an assured patient medication record.”

The government also said projects should “optionally develop and implement changes needed to community pharmacy systems that will result in a paperless prescription journey and/or push notification to the NHS Wales app in a Wales-based pharmacy setting.”

The app is being gradually rolled out to GP practices in Wales and eligibility criteria for the grant and the application form is on the Welsh government’s website.

“Once applications have been reviewed, applicants will be provided with a decision letter,” it said. “This will detail whether we have accepted or declined (the) application. We may also request additional information from (applicants) should the panel be unable to reach a decision based on the information provided by (them).”

The Welsh government said the EPS will enable repeat prescriptions to be managed more safely, improve data security and free up time GPs’ time. It also anticipates the EPS will eliminate the printing of over 40 million paper prescription forms every year.