EXCLUSIVE

It is unlikely pharmacists will ever be allowed to amend GP records, systems supplier EMIS Health has predicted.

NHS England is currently investigating whether pharmacists should be allowed to amend the summary care record (SCR) in the wake of a national rollout, but EMIS Health told C+D today (March 29) that the move would be a mistake.

Instead, pharmacists should be able to create their own patient records, according to Ian Taylor, managing director of EMIS Health Community Pharmacy.

Pharmacist could add to a patient's record over time and share this with other healthcare professionals when needed, he said. 

"I don’t think [pharmacists] will be writing, either in a SCR, or directly into a GP [record]. And why should you? Pharmacy should have its own record.

"[If] the pharmacist holds their own clinical [record] around the patient, you can then support the patient with knowledge that you have about them, rather than relying on what the GP holds."

Mr Taylor said the desire for pharmacists to have their own record was "driving" EMIS Health's work.

It will form a central pillar of Proscript Connect, which will replace pharmacy system Proscript from later this year, he said.

Proscript users can currently access a summary of a patient's record from GP practices that use an EMIS Health system. 

This record is "slightly richer" than the SCR, Mr Taylor said.

New EMIS contract with Lloydspharmacy owners

C+D's exclusive interview with Mr Taylor comes after EMIS Health announced a major new contract with Lloydspharmacy owner Celesio UK earlier this month (March 16).

EMIS Health could supply the systems for all 1,800 Lloyds pharmacies, starting with the Proscript Connect software later in 2016.

The contract will mean EMIS Health systems cover nearly 50% of community pharmacies in the UK, the company claimed.

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