- 11 people given the wrong drugs or doses died in the NHS last year
- Jeremy Hunt’s plans will see drugs dispensed electronically
- Hospitals will replace the paper-based systems for notes and prescriptions
- Will then be rolled out to GPs surgeries in aim for digital NHS by 2018
By
James Chapman, Political Editor
18:04 EST, 16 May 2013
|
01:54 EST, 17 May 2013
Jeremy Hunt will unveil plans for a £260million system to dispense drugs electronically and signal the end for written prescriptions
The Health Secretary will signal the end of written prescriptions today.
Jeremy Hunt is to unveil plans for a £260million system that will dispense drugs electronically and, he says, prevent needless deaths.
At least 11 people died in the NHS last year because they were given the wrong drugs or incorrect doses.
Medicines are being prescribed incorrectly because patients’ notes are lost, while research suggests that eight per cent of hospital prescriptions have mistakes in them.
Mr Hunt will announce that he is accepting a key recommendation of the Francis report into the scandal at Mid Staffordshire Hospital, in which hundreds of patients are thought to have died needlessly, for better use of technology to improve care.
The fund will first be used by hospitals to replace paper-based systems for patient notes and prescriptions, a key step towards an entirely digital NHS by 2018.
Eventually it will be rolled out to GPs’ surgeries, marking an end to the written prescription.
It will be primarily used for ‘electronic prescribing’ in which computer-generated prescriptions, using barcodes unique to each patient, are sent by doctors directly to pharmacies.
Government advisers say the technology will greatly reduce the scope for errors – such as poor handwriting – and improve safety.
The new system of electronic records will protect patients, Mr Hunt will say, by also ensuring that doctors and nurses are able to access accurate details about the care of a patient wherever they are being treated.
‘This fund will allow doctors and nurses to make the NHS safer by harnessing the very latest technology,’ he will add.
At least 11 people died in the NHS last year because they were given the wrong drugs or incorrect doses
‘In many places, right now, a
paramedic picking up a frail elderly woman who has had a fall will not
always know she has dementia, because he or she cannot access her notes.
‘Or a doctor is prescribing the wrong drugs, because they don’t know
what drugs their patient is already on.
‘If
we are to improve patient safety then we must allow the NHS to have
access to the best tools available and this fund will help them achieve
that.’
Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of NHS England, said: ‘This new fund will help patients get better and safer care by giving clinicians access to the right information when they need it most.
‘Supporting hospitals to replace outdated paper systems for notes and prescriptions will help relieve patients’ frustration at having to repeat their medical and medication history over and over again, often in the same hospital, because their records aren’t available.
‘Expanding the use of electronic prescribing of medications in hospitals will help improve safety, save lives and save taxpayers’ money.’
Sir Bruce Keogh, medical director of NHS England, (left) said the new fund, announced by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (right) will give patients ‘better and safer care’
Tim Kelsey, national director for patients and information at NHS England, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with the NHS, Department of Health colleagues and frontline NHS staff to ensure that this fund enables the NHS to make substantial progress towards routine use of high-quality data at the point of care.
‘This step change in integrating diverse information sources around the needs to the patient will support clinicians and provider organisations deliver world class patient care.’
The Government has already announced that by 2015 everyone who wants it will be able to get online access to their GP record.
They will also be able to book appointments with their own doctor and order repeat prescriptions online.
Mr Hunt announced last month that patients are to be given the right to opt out of a new NHS database logging details of drinking habits, waist sizes and family medical histories.
Following protests from privacy campaigners, people will be allowed to instruct their GPs not to hand over their records to a centralised information bank.
Around 700,000 patients are thought to have opted out of an existing scheme allowing GPs to share information on their medical history with other parts of the NHS.
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prevent drug errors which kill………..
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Surely the patients know WHAT they are taking? Didn’t the doc tell them what he is prescribing? In addition, can’t they read what is written in the enclosed (important information) guidance slip.
True British Patriot
,
London, United Kingdom,
17/5/2013 13:15
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£260m……mistakes will still happen on an electronic system because the details will have to be entered by someone……why don’t they just teach people to write legibly…..
BlondeLawyer
,
Manchester,
17/5/2013 13:11
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this is years old for god sake!
feeneyo9
,
derry, United Kingdom,
17/5/2013 13:11
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What are they on about, I already get printed prescriptions from my surgery.
Sharon
,
Longfield,
17/5/2013 12:44
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Social Services departments throughout the country; acting as the †Political Wing †of the NHS; have their very own Orwellian style diagnosis of their clients health.
There are clients with certain diagnoses that receive; and are compelled to take; prescribed medication under the law and there are those with the same medical conditions who are not; depending upon the whim of the so called health / social service professionals in charge of their care.
Provided there is a new †Margaret Hodge “; ( viz :- Common Sense Deficiency Syndrome ); diagnostic tool available to the voluntary sector as a counterbalance there shouldn’t be a problem in overseeing this important change in providing health care for the most vulnerable people in society. ( i.e anyone who understands how to run a business ).
Catch-42
,
Macclesfield, United Kingdom,
17/5/2013 12:40
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Nini -London. Same here. I can’t remember the last time a prescription I or my daughter had was handwritten and I have regular medication every month.
Loran
,
Plymouth, United Kingdom,
17/5/2013 12:40
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And another excuse to put us and our private data onto a huge compulsory State database accessible to a couple of million people, councils, ministries etc and the only person without access will be YOU. I have opted out.
The Punisher
,
Darlington ENGLAND, United Kingdom,
17/5/2013 12:34
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HUNT is ensuring the NHS as we know it will be soon Grrrrriiiiiiinnddddddiiiiiingggggg to OBLIVION.
DOWNBUTNOTOUT
,
LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom,
17/5/2013 12:33
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HUNT is ensuring the NHS as we know it will be soon Grrrrriiiiiiinnddddddiiiiiingggggg to OBLIVION.
DOWNBUTNOTOUT
,
LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom,
17/5/2013 12:33
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HUNT is ensuring the NHS as we know it will be soon Grrrrriiiiiiinnddddddiiiiiingggggg to OBLIVION.
DOWNBUTNOTOUT
,
LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom,
17/5/2013 12:32
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