Update on Pharmacy First

Positive Solutions HxConsult system have rolled out Update Record* to all their community pharmacies from Wednesday 15th May 2024.  This adds to the community pharmacies using Cegedim Healthcare Solutions who launched Update Record at the start of April 2024. Both suppliers will flow a post consultation message to the patient’s GP for the following services: Blood Pressure, Oral Contraception, Pharmacy First (Minor Illness and Clinical Pathways Services).​

SysmOne practices are now able to receive these messages as above from 15th May 2024.

Information shared via Update Record is the same information that is currently sent as a PDF via NHS mail, the change is messages flow in a structured format which:

  • speeds up inclusion into the patient record,
  • reduces burden for general practice teams
  • eliminates transcription errors. ​

Developments continue with EMIS Health and Sonar; the Pharmacy First Digital Delivery Team will roll out Update Record as they receive approval for each of their services. PharmOutcomes changes are currently in testing, pilot, and NHS England approvals stages, with target dates flexible as they aim to release as quickly as possible. At the moment, the initial PharmOutcomes services (Hypertension and Contraception) are targeted to be sending Update Record across all sites by June. The remainder of services (Common Conditions and Minor Illness) will go live for sending Update Record messages incrementally once approved, running to Q3 2024.

The Pharmacy First Digital Implementation team will share updates as supplier products receive national approval.

*Update Record allows authorised clinicians to update a patient’s GP record with consultation information. It is designed to make the management of consultations outside of general practice easier, faster and safer by removing the need to manually send and transcribe information via email.

Messages between clinical IT systems in GP practices and other care settings are ‘structured’. This means they transfer into the GP IT system in a consistent and standardised way that can be ‘read’ and easily filed in the patient record.

The system is nationally assured as being safe, secure and meeting appropriate standards for sharing clinical information.

Once enabled, consultation information from community pharmacies will be sent straight into your GP IT system in a standardised format. You can choose to have the information automatically filed into the patient record or set the system so that a staff member must review it before filing by clicking a button.

You should continue to monitor NHSmail for consultation information for services that are not currently covered by Update Record.     

Source: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-connect/gp-connect-in-your-organisation/gp-connect-update-record