lloyds Dr Thom

[Messier]

has anyone encountered this Dr Thom service from Lloyds? what i gather is that a patient has an on line consultation with a doctor and a private Rx is generated.
this is sent to the branch and it only has an electronic signature from the prescriber-a padlock symbol.
i spoke with Lloyds superintendent office and they were not helpful ("it is legal-dispense it). the RPS (it is not legal-only FP10's fulfill the electronic signature regulations).
a fun position when you are the RP. there was no SOP in branch and you had to make the call.
i am sure Lloyds had some legal basis but when i asked them to e-mail a SOP from Coventry and something to confirm this had been tested in law nothing was forthcoming.
if it hit the fan i wonder if Lloyds would with me in the dock-i was not convinced. i can't quite grasp why the did not/would not send me the confirmation-strange!

[Pharmanaut]

True as I see it as well.
Only EPSR2 is valid for electronic signature.
Anything else - it becomes an 'emergency request' where a prescriber must furnish a script within 72hours.
But the pharmacist in charge (now the RP) must be satisfied of the bona-fides of the prescriber making the request.
So if you are the RP, its your call. If you are not genuinely happy.

And so it is with everything RP regardless of SOPs.
Do we dare use the RP rules to take back control of our profession?



Furnishing a script sounds like fun.
Can you choose the upholstery.

[Messier]

i like your thinking. my thoughts exactly. no rx would be forthcoming and i never met anyone who was injured by not getting viagra.
the call was mine and in the negative. can't say the patient was a happy patient but there was always another day, another branch to get his "private script" filled.
"using the RP rules to get the profession back"-a radical idea. maybe worth following up on at a later date.

[Pharmanaut]

"using the RP rules to get the profession back"-a radical idea. maybe worth following up on at a later date.

It truly believe that's what was originally intended with these regulations.
...and probably I've been holding the pestle and mortar a bit longer than most (nearly 30 years), so will apply Newtons Third Law if pushed around too much.

[LeftArm]

I guess this is no different to Alliance Health's webprescription service.

https://www.webprescriptions-medescribe.co.uk/

I don't know how they overcome the need for the prescriber to sign the prescription in ink.

Is this really a threat or an extra revenue stream as they would like us to believe? They are at least keeping bricks and mortar pharmacy in the loop. It would be easier to simply post the drugs straight out from a central internet pharmacy location.

[LeftArm]

I emailed web prescriptions and asked them about whether they had a dispensation fro elecromnic signatures. Here is a cut from their reply.

The answer is yes since the change in legislation prescriptions can be issued remotely by a GP who is the IMA registered with the Care Quality Commission, which Medical Prescription Services Ltd is. The key points are

i. An electronic copy will be kept securely at MPS with a unique code which will allow authorised bodies to review at any time.

ii. All medical aspects of the service, including the screening of patients and provision of a private prescription, will be the responsibility of Medical Prescription Services (MPS) who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide remote electronic prescriptions; IT support and systems management and financial administration for the service e.g. patient payment and private prescription invoicing will be the responsibility of MPS.

I assume Dr Thom works in the same way.

[LeftArm]

From "Medical Prescription Services" an online Doctors Consultation and prescription service.

Thank you for your email. The primary legislation regarding the use of electronic prescriptions was changed in April 2010 to include both NHS and Private prescriptions. I enclose a summary of the relevant legislative changes.The main point of clarification is that ETP2 only applies to the NHS whereas the legislative changes apply to all prescriptions both NHS and private

In preparation for the roll-out of Release 2 of the Electronic Prescription Service, changes were made to the relevant legislation,

the Medicines for Human Use (Prescription Only) Order 1997 (the ‘POM Order’),

the NHS (General Medical Service Contracts) Regulations 2004 and

the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2005,

to enable the prescribing and dispensing of electronic prescriptions and to put in place controls to support the managed roll out of the service.

An electronic message becomes a legal electronic prescription where the prescription has been created in electronic form, is signed with an electronic signature and is then transferred to the dispensing site as an electronic communication. This applies, with exceptions, to both NHS and private prescriptions. It is not yet possible to issue an electronic prescription for a drug specified in Schedule 1, 2 or 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2005 and prescribers remain free to continue to issue paper prescriptions.

All legal and above board then.