Digital to revolutionise hospital prescribing in North Wales
21.08.2024
Digital transformation is gathering pace in North Wales as Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCU) selects Better UK as its technology partner to introduce a ‘game-changing’ electronic prescribing system in its hospitals.
The new electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration system, known as ePMA, will be rolled out to more than 40 hospitals across North Wales.
It will replace paper-driven processes with a complete digitised system that will streamline prescribing in every ward and improve patient care.
The system will reduce the risk of medication errors by ensuring prescriptions are clear, legible, and complete, with built-in safety checks for allergies, drug interactions, and dosage accuracy.
It will also allow for seamless communication between departments and healthcare professionals, ensuring that medication information is accurate and up-to-date at all times.
Introduction of ePMA is a key part of the Digital Medicines work led by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) to make the prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines, more efficient and effective, for patients, doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
Lesley Jones, DHCW Programme Oversight Chair for ePMA, said: “These are exciting times and a milestone for the people and clinical communities of North Wales. As a hospital nurse for many years, I know that ePMA will revolutionise prescribing processes and is a real game-changer.
“In simple terms, ePMA will replace the paper drug charts which are currently kept at patient bedsides, enabling safer prescribing and administration of medicines. It allows doctors, nurses and pharmacists to prescribe using a digital device, which has so many advantages, reducing medication errors and removing the risk of transcribing errors or handwriting that is difficult to decipher.”
The ePMA project will see colleagues from pharmacy, nursing, digital and clinical backgrounds collaborate to deliver the system, which also supports the Health Board’s sustainability objectives by reducing paper use.
Mandy Jones, Deputy Executive Director of Nursing and Senior Responsible Officer at BCU UHB said: “This is an important project because it is the first stage in our electronic health record strategy.
"The ePMA work will transform services across our hospitals and streamline processes for the benefit of patients and staff.
"The important part of this work has been the collaboration with clinicians, nurses, and pharmacy staff who have engaged with users across many of our services to get their input. So it’s being co-designed by the people doing the work.”
BCU is the largest health board in Wales serving more than 700,000 people and has selected its preferred supplier from an agreed framework. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board selected its ePMA technology partner in March this year.
Adrian Aggett, Client Director, Better UK & Ireland, said: “We’re thrilled to be supporting BCU as it kicks off its comprehensive digital strategy with ePMA. The patient safety improvements and efficiency gains are incredibly high meaning it will make a big difference in the initial stages of BCU’s digital plans.
“We will be working closely to ensure it strengthens care collaboration, facilitates a full overview of the patient medication record and integrates with the EHR system to achieve the highly anticipated benefits for patient care and efficiency.”
The health board has recently entered the implementation phase of the project and is working at pace with Better to deploy the new system across the health board during 2025-March 26.
The project is supported by a £6.7m investment across NHS Wales from Welsh Government.
Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Wales Andrew Evans said, ““I am delighted to see how our substantial investment is supporting the continued excellent progress to implement a fully digital prescribing system for patients and clinicians across Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
“Today’s announcement which will see the health board partner with Better UK to roll out electronic prescribing in all its hospitals, builds on the work which saw patients in North Wales become the first to benefit from the electronic transfer of prescriptions in primary care last year.
“Deploying ePMA is helping to positively transform the way care is provided in hospitals in every health board and NHS trust in Wales”.