A PROJECT designed to transform inpatient drug prescribing and administration at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust (UHMBT) is due to go-live at the Trust’s three main hospital sites by the end of April.

The Electronic Patient Record (EPR) prescribing and administration project will replace current paper processes. This will help around 2,000 clinical staff, including nurses and doctors, to reduce incidents of avoidable harm associated with medications.

New benefits will include:

? Electronic records that help nurses to further ensure that inpatients receive the best care possible

? The system automatically checks for patient allergies and any drug interactions with current medication. These alerts are flagged up to the relevant staff member providing care

? Alerting nursing staff to when patient’s next medication dose is due to avoid unintentional missed doses.

? Pharmacists will be able to review the current prescriptions online which will minimise the prescription chart having to leave the ward.

? All electronic notes and prescriptions will be legible, less scope for interpretation errors.

? Time saved for nursing and medical staff. Prescription charts will not need to be hand rewritten and the electronic charts will always be available on ward.

David Walker, Medical Director, UHMBT, said: “This project has been running for approximately 12 months and the introduction of electronic prescribing was always considered to be the cornerstone of the Trust’s strategy for further developing its Electronic Patient Record. I am particularly excited by this project as I believe that it will deliver significant benefits for the patient and our clinical staff by improving the prescribing and administration of drugs, from supporting the supply of medicines towards in a more timely fashion to providing a clearer, more accurate picture of the patient’s medication record, meaning safer care for patients.”