Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) - Alton Pharmacy, Hampshire
The NHS Electronic Prescription Service (EPS)
The Electronic Prescription Service, usually shortened to EPS, is the NHS system that allows your GP practice to send your prescription electronically to a pharmacy of your choice. Instead of collecting a paper prescription from your surgery and carrying it to a pharmacy, your prescription travels securely and directly to the pharmacy you have chosen. At Alton Pharmacy on the High Street, we use EPS every day to make repeat and acute prescriptions simpler, faster and far more convenient for our patients across Alton and the surrounding villages of Hampshire.
EPS is now the standard way the NHS in England handles prescriptions. The vast majority of prescriptions issued by GPs are processed electronically, and the service is designed so that you no longer need to think about the practical task of moving a piece of paper from one place to another. Once you have told the NHS which pharmacy you would like to use, your prescriptions are routed there automatically every time your doctor prescribes for you.
How the Electronic Prescription Service works
When your GP, nurse or another prescriber at your surgery issues a prescription, it is created on their clinical system as an electronic message rather than printed onto a green FP10 form. That electronic prescription is signed digitally by the prescriber and sent to the secure NHS Spine, the central database that links GP practices and pharmacies together.
If you have chosen a regular pharmacy — known in the system as your nominated pharmacy — the prescription is delivered automatically to that pharmacy. Our team at Alton Pharmacy can then download it, prepare your medicine and have it ready for you to collect or to be delivered. If you have not nominated a pharmacy, you will be given a paper token with a barcode that you can take to any pharmacy in England; the pharmacist scans the barcode to retrieve the prescription from the Spine.
What is pharmacy nomination?
Nomination simply means choosing the pharmacy you would like your electronic prescriptions to be sent to. It is your choice and yours alone — your GP surgery cannot decide it for you, and no pharmacy can set a nomination without your permission. You can nominate up to three dispensers if you wish: typically one community pharmacy, one dispensing appliance contractor for items such as stoma or continence supplies, and, where relevant, an internet or distance-selling pharmacy.
Once Alton Pharmacy is set as your nominated pharmacy, every future prescription from your GP will arrive with us without you having to do anything further. There is no charge for nominating a pharmacy, and you are free to change your nomination at any time, for any reason, with no need to explain your decision.
The benefits of using EPS at Alton Pharmacy
- You no longer need to collect a paper prescription from your GP surgery, which saves an extra journey and is especially helpful if the practice and the pharmacy are not close together.
- Your prescription is usually waiting for you when you arrive, because it is sent to us as soon as your prescriber signs it.
- Repeat prescriptions become far easier to manage — particularly valuable for patients with long-term conditions such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure or heart disease who take regular medication.
- It reduces the risk of a paper prescription being lost, damaged or forgotten.
- Electronic prescriptions are clear and legible, which lowers the chance of dispensing errors caused by misread handwriting.
- If you are housebound, working long hours, caring for someone else or simply find travelling difficult, EPS combined with our prescription collection and delivery services means your medicine can reach you with minimal effort.
How to nominate Alton Pharmacy
Signing up for the Electronic Prescription Service with us is straightforward, and you can choose whichever of the following methods is easiest for you:
Nominate in the pharmacy
The simplest way is to call into Alton Pharmacy at 68 High Street and ask a member of our team to set up your nomination. We can do this for you at the counter in a few moments. All we need is your name, address and date of birth so that we can match your record correctly, and the change will take effect from your next prescription.
Ask your GP surgery
You can also tell the reception team at your GP practice that you would like Alton Pharmacy to be your nominated pharmacy, and they will update your record on their clinical system.
Use the NHS App or online services
If you use the NHS App or your GP practice's online services, you can usually set or change your nominated pharmacy yourself from your phone or computer. Search for Alton Pharmacy, GU34 1ET, and select us as your dispenser.
To make things even easier, our website has a dedicated pharmacy nomination form. Complete your details there and our team will arrange your nomination for you, so the next prescription your doctor issues will come straight to us.
Repeat prescriptions and EPS
For patients on regular medication, EPS works hand in hand with the repeat prescription process. When you need a further supply, you can request your repeat items through the NHS App, your GP's online service, or by asking us. Once your surgery has authorised the request, the electronic prescription is sent automatically to Alton Pharmacy, where we dispense it and let you know it is ready.
If managing several different medicines feels complicated, our pharmacists are always happy to help. We can talk you through your repeat medication, answer any questions about how and when to take each item, and make sure your prescriptions and supplies stay properly co-ordinated.
Is my information safe?
Yes. The Electronic Prescription Service is a secure NHS system. Your electronic prescription is transmitted through the encrypted NHS Spine and can only be accessed by authorised healthcare professionals who are directly involved in your care. The pharmacy team at Alton Pharmacy can see the prescription details needed to dispense your medicine safely and accurately, and your information is handled in line with NHS confidentiality and data protection requirements.
Changing or cancelling your nomination
You are never tied to a nomination. If you move house, change your daily routine, or simply prefer a different pharmacy, you can change your nominated pharmacy at any time by telling the new pharmacy, your GP surgery, or by updating it yourself through the NHS App. If you want to cancel nomination entirely and return to paper tokens, you can ask any pharmacy or your GP practice to remove it. There is no penalty and no charge for making a change.
Speak to our team about EPS
Whether you are new to the Electronic Prescription Service or simply want to make sure your prescriptions are coming to the right place, the team at Alton Pharmacy is here to help. Nominating us as your pharmacy means one less thing to think about each time you need your medicine, and it allows us to offer you the full benefit of our prescription collection and delivery services.
Call into the pharmacy at 68 High Street, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1ET, or telephone us on 01420 83176 and we will be glad to set up your nomination and explain anything you are unsure about.
