NHS Electronic Prescriptions Service (EPS)
A new way to get your medicines and appliances
EPS is an NHS service. Your doctor can send your prescription electronically to the place you choose to get your medicines and appliances from.
What does this mean for you?
- If you get a repeat prescription, you will not have to spend your time going to the surgery each time to pick up your paper prescription. Instead, your doctor will send it automatically to the place you choose, with no chance of it getting lost.
- You will have more choice about where to get your medicines from because you can collect them from a pharmacy near your home, where you work or where you prefer to shop, including this internet pharmacy.
- You will not have to wait so long for your prescription to be dispensed as repeat prescriptions will be dispensed from this electronic message – you will not need to post your prescription form to us.
How does EPS work?
Your doctor will ask if you want your future prescriptions sent to the place you have nominated. Your prescription will be sent there electronically. In many cases there is no need for paper.
Is this service right for you?
EPS might suit you if you:
- Don’t want to go to the surgery every time to collect your repeat prescription
- Collect your medicine from the same place most of the time or wish to use an internet pharmacy
- Use a prescription collection service now
It might not be right for you if you:
- Do not get prescriptions very often
- Pick up your medicines from different places
- Travel or work away from home a lot
EPS is reliable, secure and confidential
Your electronic prescription will only be seen by your doctor’s practice and the pharmacy or dispensing appliance contractor you have nominated.
To help you check or change your nomination and for quality control other authorised people working in your PCT, doctor’s practice, pharmacy and/or dispensing appliance contractor will be able to see the place you have nominated. They will not be able to see your prescription or medication.
How can you use EPS?
You need to choose a place for your doctor to send your prescription electronically. This is called nomination. You can choose:
- A pharmacy (including internet pharmacies)
- A dispensing appliance contractor (if you use one)
- Your dispensing doctor practice (if you are eligible)
You can ask a member of staff at your doctor’s surgery or at any pharmacy or dispensing appliance contractor which offers EPS to add the nomination for you. You will be able to nominate The Co-operative Pharmacy within the next few weeks. Please keep checking back with us for more information.
How do you know if your doctor offers this service?
The service is being rolled out to doctors by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). To find out if your PCT is already doing this please visit the NHS Choices website.
How do you change or cancel your nomination?
If you don’t want your prescription to be sent to the place you have nominated you can change or cancel your nomination very easily. Speak to a member of staff at your doctor’s surgery or at any pharmacy or dispensing appliance contractor which offers EPS before you request your next prescription.
If you do not speak to them first, you may not get your medication or appliance on time. This is because the prescription may already have been sent automatically to the place you nominated.
More information about EPS can be found on the EPS website. You can also get information from your doctor’s surgery.
