The Welsh government has awarded grants to two companies to help develop an electronic prescription service (EPS) in Wales as the country moves to paperless prescriptions.

PharmacyX and Titan PMR were successful in their bids, making them the first companies to be awarded bids via the Community Pharmacy System Innovation Fund (CPSIF), which is being managed by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW).

While England’s EPS, which was launched in October 2019, is now used for the vast majority of prescriptions, progress has been slower in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. 

Bids are invited from digital community pharmacy systems companies in Wales until October 2024 or until all funding has been assigned.

As well as supporting companies to develop EPS solutions, the funding “will also support the suppliers to introduce innovative changes to their systems that will result in paperless dispensing and integration with the new NHS Wales app when it is launched,” said DHCW.

There are separate funding tiers for each of the three main goals of the CPSIF, with successful applications receiving “up to £111,562.50 to develop their systems so pharmacies in Wales can use EPS”.

Pharmacy Network News has approached DHCW regarding the value of the grants awarded to PharmacyX and Titan PMR.

Sarah Taylor from Life Sciences Hub Wales commented: “We’d like to congratulate PharmacyX and Titan PMR on being awarded funding to help deliver EPS in Wales, and welcome further applications from other digital community pharmacy system suppliers. Digital prescribing has a wide range of benefits for patients, staff and the environment, so we’re looking forward to seeing the future outcomes of this funding opportunity.”

Professor Hamish Laing from the Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio said: “It is fantastic to see this fund moving so quickly and making its first awards just a few weeks after it was launched. We look forward to seeing the future outcomes of this funding opportunity.” 

Invatech Health CEO Tariq Muhammed said he was “delighted” that Titan PMR had been awarded funding, adding: “We hope to be the first to bring these huge benefits to Welsh pharmacies and Welsh patients in the next few months.”

Pharmacy X sales director Paul Mayberry said EPS is “set to make significant efficiencies in dispensing, allowing pharmacists to provide more clinical services close to patients' homes without them having to see their doctor”.