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Prescriptions: ICT

Asked by Dr Caroline JohnsonConservativeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 8 October 2025UIN 74696

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has made of the potential merits of electronic prescribing in secondary care settings.

Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed

The rollout of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) in secondary care settings is underway with a goal to have at least half of National Health Service hospital trusts using it by 2026. NHS England is supporting the adoption of EPS by secondary care providers and supporting secondary care IT system suppliers to develop integration with EPS.

Benefit analysis to date indicates that EPS in secondary care improves prescription workflows, reduces administrative burden and the need for paper prescription pads, thereby enhancing security, reducing errors, and lowering costs. It supports remote consultations and enables better tracking and reporting of prescribing data.

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