IM&T Allowances

• 6.1 The NHS Wales Informatics Service (NWIS) sets and delivers the strategic direction and corporate IM&T policy for Community Pharmacy in Wales.

 

• 6.2 There are parallel strategic developments within England and Wales in relation to the technical architectures that underpin the ‘NHS Care Records Service’ (England) and the ‘Welsh GP Record’ (Wales).

 

• 6.3 However, differences in direction and pace of these respective programmes have meant that Wales, via a national community pharmacy IM&T programme board of representative stakeholders, has determined appropriate and comparable solutions, deliverable through a pragmatic, phased approach.

 

• Phase 1 - IT Infrastructure and Connectivity Services

 

• 6.4 In 2005/06, two allocations of £1,300 (ie a total of £2,600) were paid to all pharmacy contractors included, at that time, in a pharmaceutical list maintained by a Local Health Board in Wales. Pharmacy contractors were directed to ensure investment in systems to support the Programme’s key objectives associated with Phase 1; specifically, that funding must be targeted to ensure any investment in IT is “fit for purpose” and capable of running the latest version of the pharmacy contractors’ PMR system. The allocations applied only to pharmacy contractors included, at that time, in a pharmaceutical list maintained by a Local Health Board.

 

• 6.5 In addition, from 2007, a recurring ‘connectivity’ payment of £200pcm is made available to all contractors capable of secure/managed access to the NHS Wales network and its connectivity services, such as web eMail and HOWIS (Health of Wales Information Services).

 

• 6.6 With effect from 30 September 2010 the recurring ‘connectivity’ payment of £200pcm, include Phase 1 and Phase 2 services.

 

• Phase 2 - Release 1 - 3

 

• 6.7 Phase 2 is being addressed as three ‘Releases’, consisting of:

 

Release Number	Service/System	Available Date	Maximum Deployment Timescale
1	NHS Wales-compliant Email service (ENAS-Electronic NHS Alerts Service)	1 April 2010	30 September 2010
2	ETP - 2D-Barcoded Prescription service	30 September 2010	30 September 2011
3	Electronic Transmission of Claims service	30 April 2017	31 October 2017

 

• 6.8 With effect from 31 October 2017 all Pharmacy Contractors are required to be compliant with Phase 2 Releases 1, 2 & 3.

Pharmacy contractors will be given at least three months’ notice of their pharmacy IT system’s capability to access each respective release of Phase 2. The following website shows the current status for each of the accredited systems/suppliers for Wales and status of all the Phase 2 Releases:http://howis.wales.nhs.uk/wmss.
 

• 6.9 Pharmacy Contractors are required to inform the NHS-Shared Services Partnership-Contractor Services division whenever: 1) they commence connectivity to their individual premises, 2) have a change of system supplier, 3) have a change of accredited connectivity provider. This advice must be submitted using the ETP1 or ETP2 Claim Form, as appropriate.

 

• 6.10 A pharmacy contractor must submit the appropriately completed ETP Monthly Allowance Claim Form to NWIS not later than the last day of the first month that the premises can demonstrate that it is able to operate the services in Phase 2 Releases 1, 2& 3. This will instigate receipt of the monthly allowance for that month and subsequent months. The monthly recurring payment is subject to the pharmacy premises’ ongoing compliance with the specified services and their terms. If at a later date a pharmacy premises becomes unable to comply with the requirements of this part they must as soon as is practicable notify their LHB and NWIS in writing of the date from which the pharmacy ceased to be compliant. The LHB may then determine whether payment of the recurring connectivity payment should be stopped on a permanent basis or suspended for a month (or period specified by the LHB). On resumption of the service, an updated ETP Monthly Allowance Claim Form should be submitted and connectivity and compliance to the services will have to be demonstrated by the pharmacy contractor.

 

• 6.11 LHBs may monitor and audit pharmacy contractor and individual premises compliance with the services in Phase 2 Releases 1, 2 & 3. Where NHS Wales audit and monitoring identify a pharmacy premises to be non compliant with the services in Phase 2 Releases 1, 2 & 3, and where that non compliance is within the control of the pharmacy contractor, action may result in the suspension of the recurring connectivity payment and NHS connectivity.

 

• 6.12 In 2007/08, to support the implementation requirements of Phase 2, an additional one-off payment of £1,000 was paid to all pharmacy contractors included, at that time, in a pharmaceutical list maintained by a LHB in Wales. The allocation applied only to pharmacy contractors included, at that time, in a pharmaceutical list maintained by a LHB.
• 6.13 Failure to place an order for respective Releases of a NHS Wales compliant system or service within three months following the maximum deployment date advised could result in the £1,000 allowance also being reclaimed.

 

• Further Information

 

• 6.14 These allowances and guidelines will be published in Part VIA of the Drug Tariff, the most recent edition of which can be found online at: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/PrescriptionServices/4940.aspx

 

• 6.15 Further supplementary guidance on procedures to support the implementation of forthcoming developments will be provided, as appropriate.