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GPs hit by pharmacy electronic prescription bug

 GPs and pharmacists across the country have been left without access to electronic prescriptions this week as a fault with a major pharmacy software supplier has hit services this week.

A bug with Cegedim IT systems – which the Cegedim website states run in 50% of pharmacies in the UK – has not been remedied since Monday, and GPs have been hit by the fallout.

The issues are not confined to a single region, but other system suppliers have not been affected.

Pharmacists arrange their own contracts with suppliers, and the Health and Social Care Information centre told Pulse that Cegedim was ‘conducting a thorough investigation’ of the bug and providing updates on the HSCIC website.

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Though the initial issue was thought to be resolved, a HSCIC spokesperson told Pulse on Wednesday: ‘The latest update we have is that Cegedim is working to resolve residual service issues and intermittent periods of service disruption may be seen at some sites.

‘We don’t know exactly where, as it will depend on the geographic location of the pharmacies that have a contract with them as their system supplier.

‘Cegedim advise that urgent investigations are on-going for any customers that are affected by the issue: “Prescription with another dispenser”.’

Pulse approached Cegedim for comment but had not received a response at time of publication


          

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