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Electronic Prescription Service

Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) is part of the prescription infrastructure context and has a FHIR API catalogue entry.

Role in NHS App Architecture

EPS is a national prescription infrastructure route. It should be separated from the patient-facing repeat-prescription request route and from the GP practice prescribing workflow.

Route Placement

NHS App prescription workflows may include several layers:

  • Patient repeat-prescription request through GP Connect Patient Facing Prescriptions.
  • GP practice prescribing workflow.
  • EPS prescription transmission and dispensing.
  • Pharmacy nomination and collection/delivery arrangements.

DPHC Relevance

For Defence Primary Healthcare (DPHC), the key question is whether prescribing follows ordinary NHS GP / EPS routes, MOD-specific prescribing routes, or a hybrid model.

Dependencies

Dependency Why it matters
GP Connect Patient Facing Prescriptions May support patient repeat-prescription request through an NHS App route.
GP practice prescribing workflow Determines whether the request becomes a prescription.
EPS Determines electronic transmission and dispensing route.
Pharmacy nomination / dispensing Determines patient-facing collection or fulfilment behaviour.
Proxy / linked-profile permissions Determines whether another user can request or view prescription functions.

What This Does Not Prove

EPS evidence does not prove that DPHC repeat-prescription requests work in the NHS App, that DPHC prescribing uses EPS, or that nominated-pharmacy actions are available for DPHC patients or proxy users.

Evidence Needed

  • Whether DPHC prescribing uses EPS, MOD-specific prescribing, or a hybrid path.
  • Whether DPHC GP clinical systems expose repeat-prescription request routes through GP Connect PFS, Interface Mechanism 1 (IM1), or another supplier path.
  • Whether NHS App nominated-pharmacy and prescription-status features behave differently for DPHC Firmbase or DPHC(O) patients.
  • Whether proxy / linked-profile users can request repeat prescriptions for DPHC-registered patients.

Current Source Confidence

High for EPS as a national prescription infrastructure component. Not evidenced for DPHC prescribing route or NHS App prescription feature availability.