EmailCalverley Medical Centre has begun to pass prescriptions electronically to Liptrots pharmacy as initial implementers of the service. Another 17 GP surgeries are due to begin using the system soon.
The move is a significant step in the implementation of England's NHS National programme for IT. The EPS is aimed at replacing the paper transfer of patients' prescriptions.
Calverley has been using EPS Release 1, which ensures that systems are compliant and provides for the barcoding of written prescriptions, since 2006. A spokesperson for the Department of Health (DoH) said that Connecting for Health (CfH), the agency leading the programme, has been encouraging pharmacists to have the systems for EPS Release 1 in place by the end of this month and believes that most are now equipped for the service.
The DoH is aiming to implement Release 2 around the country but does not yet have a timeframe.
EPS users need a smart card, which provides levels of access determined by their role in the prescribing and dispensing process. This is aimed at ensuring that only the appropriate people can see details of prescriptions.
The DoH said the service will save patients from visiting their GP to obtain repeat prescriptions, give them more freedom in which pharmacist they use, and make it possible for their prescriptions to be prepared before delivery. It should also enable GPs to cancel a prescription before it is dispensed if necessary, and save pharmacists from rekeying information.
Tim Donohoe, programmes and operations director for CfH, said: "This is a key milestone for EPS. We have been working closely with the suppliers, CSC/TPP (suppliers of the clinical system) and Cegedim (the pharmacy system supplier), as well as Leeds Primary Care Trust, Calverley Medical Centre and Liptrots pharmacy in Leeds to introduce EPS Release 2, which will bring real benefits to patients, GP practices and pharmacy staff.
"We will now focus on learning the lessons from this initial implementation and encouraging other suppliers and PCTs to progress with their plans to deliver the benefits of EPS Release 2 to every GP practice and pharmacy in England."
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