Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration Now Live in 70% of Inpatient Areas

The Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (ePMA) team at Cardiff and Vale UHB hit another big milestone this weekend, as staff and patients at University Hospital Llandough began to use the new ePMA software.

The majority of inpatient wards across the Health Board are now using the innovative software, making it easier and safer for staff members to prescribe and administer medicines to patients.

Despite the complexity of rolling out across multiple departments and areas, feedback from staff has been overwhelmingly positive. The software contains useful information about how medicines interact, allergy information, and alerts when medicines are due. These safety measures protect patients and build confidence in staff when making decisions.

“I find it’s easy to use and it really makes communication between nurses and doctors, and other staff members, much easier." said a nurse on one of the wards.

Our colleagues at the Health Board have been continually supporting the roll out, you might have seen them in their yellow polo shirts. If you spot them, they are happy to answer your questions about electronic prescribing and medicines administration.

The Health Board team have collaborated with Digital Health Care Wales and Nervecentre, the providers of the ePMA software. It's taken a multidisciplinary team from many different specialities to get the system up and running, including IT colleagues, Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists and Estates Staff.

"We've needed the skills and expertise of individuals across our Health Board, DHCW and Nervecentre to successfully launch the system. We're now live with Electronic Prescribing in 7 out of 10 inpatient departments, and we're proud to be the first Health Board in Wales to install and use ePMA in our Emergency Departments. We are very grateful for their hard work and I'm proud of what we all have achieved so far!" Said Sandra Watts, Senior Nurse for the ePMA team at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

"To see the electronic prescribing and medicines administration system in action within so many settings in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, I have been struck by the fact that it is more than just a system implementation. Going live with electronic prescribing is changing the culture within clinical environments, improving patient safety, care and treatment. Clinical staff have worked together and are now working safer not harder.

It has been a real team and collaborative effort with Digital Health and Care Wales and Nervecentre colleagues working with Cardiff and Vale UHB staff to make it happen. Well done all." Dr Lesley Hewer, Secondary Care ePMA Programme Oversight Chair