Early Market Engagement Event for Development of NHS Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) for Coventry and Rugby and Warwickshire North

Early Market Engagement Event for Development of NHS Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) for Coventry and Rugby and Warwickshire North NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit (AG CSU), on behalf of the Commissioners, Coventry & Rugby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Warwickshire North CCG, would like to invite potential providers to attend an early market engagement event in relation to the CCGs’ plans on the future development a Development of NHS Prescription Ordering Direct (POD) service. The Commissioners would value expert insight that can be given into the delivery of this type of service and information would be gratefully received. The information provided may be used in any rationale for the service specification of the future NHS POD. NHS POD will provide a centralised telephone-based repeat prescription ordering service for GP Practices located within The Commissioners’ region. Patients will dial into NHS POD to order their repeat prescription, and fully trained staff will access the GP clinical record of the patient to assess and ensure that patients are not over-ordering prescription items, and that they only order items that they require at the time of ordering. Patients can also inform the service of any items they are no longer taking and, therefore, do not need to re-order, ensuring patient safety. NHS POD staff will produce repeat prescriptions using the GP Practice software (EMIS Web and INPS Vision), ensuring that GPs have access to electronic or paper prescriptions for signing within the appropriate timescales. The service will be functionally integrated with the GP medicines management teams, and it is vital that there is a high degree of acceptability to both patients and GPs. There will also be bookable 30-minute sessions available at the end of the market engagement event for organisations to meet with the Commissioners. The market engagement event will take place in the afternoon of Monday 21st November 2016, in Coventry, West Midlands, and will be an opportunity for potential providers to learn more about the required outcomes, aims of the service, as well as giving expert insight to help inform a realistic service specification and proportionate procurement route. Further details of the agenda and venue will be circulated the week before the event.