Published on: 1st June 2018
New contract supports the Trust’s vision for electronic prescribing and medicines administration (ePMA) to boost patient safety, improve operational workflow and deliver efficiencies in drug expenditure.
Civica, a market leader in business critical software applications, digital solutions and managed services, has partnered with Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) on a new five-year contract to provide an Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (ePMA) solution, Civica Prescribing.
With new university research in February 2018 finding that healthcare organisations, including GPs, pharmacists, hospitals and care homes, are estimated to be making around 237 million medication errors (including prescribing) per year, the need for more robust prescribing systems is now stronger than ever.
LPFT, a provider of specialist health and social care services for people with a learning disability and/or mental health issues, required an ePMA system which would allow clinicians to prescribe and administer medications electronically – instead of using handwritten charts and prescriptions or faxed notes – to ultimately safeguard patients by reducing errors and streamlining the prescribing and administration process.
A key requirement for LPFT was to eradicate unnecessary delays and enhance patient workflow through an intuitive system with robust safety mechanisms. Extensive capabilities within Civica Prescribing to support inpatient, outpatient and community care settings, including mental health and community environments will support front-line users and give greater control over prescriptions and safety measures.
Civica Prescribing’s safety mechanisms are configurable, comply with NICE guidelines and Clinical Safety Standards, enabling the Trust to link medication management to clinical governance to reduce risk and follow recommended care standards. The system is also CE1 registered under the Medical Device Directive providing LPFT with greater level of clinical safety assurance.
Civica Prescribing will help lower the risk of clinical incidence for patients across the County by offering a crucial, single medication record that delivers the precise information front-line users need to make assured decisions. Interoperability with the Trust’s portal to show a patient’s full medication history, including historic medications or medications prescribed by another clinician/organisation avoids duplicate entries and increases operational efficiency and unified health care practice for the Trust.
Dr Sue Elcock, Medical Director at LPFT said:
As a Trust operating in the mental health area, our patients’ needs are often complex and changing. We were looking for a long-term partner who understood prescribing within the mental health environment, to help us implement the highest levels of patient safety across the Trust. Civica Prescribing can be specifically tailored to our needs and, crucially, allows adaptability for any future demands we may face.
Civica Executive Director, Health and Care, David Roots added:
Civica Prescribing will provide Lincolnshire with a significant range of safety, quality and operational benefits to support both local and national strategic health objectives. In line with recent support for ePMA from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, we are delighted to be partnering with the Trust to advance electronic prescribing and support its vision to drive digital transformation, optimise medicine management and provide the best patient care.
With more than 30 years’ experience in the health and care sector, Civica delivers software and services to 400 health and care providers in the UK, Canada and Australia. Working across clinical, financial and operational settings, the company is streamlining service delivery with unified health and care for more than 200 NHS Trusts, a third of NHS Commissioners, and many independent residential and community care providers. More than £60 billion NHS funds are processed through Civica systems on an annual basis.
