GP Connect
GP Connect: Update Record is a new feature that CPCF (Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework) IT system suppliers are adding to their systems.
Update Record allows information about patient consultations outside of general practice to be shared safely with general practice, so the information can be updated in the patient record.
The messages are ‘structured’ which means they transfer into the GP system in a consistent and standardised way that systems can ‘read’. This allows them to be easily filed.
The difference with Update Record is when the consultation has been completed, the information is automatically shared within the GP system, rather than being sent as a PDF via NHSmail.
Pharmacy teams should work on the basis that when a consultation record is submitted, the information shared will be available to GPs, other health and care providers and patients (and their proxy users) via patient facing services.
If there is a safeguarding concern or a patient doesn’t want their consultation details visible via patient facing services, the pharmacist pharmacist will want to send the consultation information to a GP practice via NHSmail. In these cases, pharmacists should capture in the consultation record that the patient does not consent to their information being shared with the GP.
The system will be rolled out from March 2024 and will initially support community pharmacies to share information with GP practices about consultations performed under the Pharmacy First (minor illness and clinical pathways), Hypertension Case Finding and Pharmacy Contraception services. In the future, this will expand to include updates for urgent supply of medicines under the Pharmacy First service.
Cegedim will be the first system to rollout Update Record within its system and they, along with EMIS Pinnacle PharmOutcomes, Positive Solutions HxConsult and Sonar are currently finalising work ahead of the rollout.
More information can be found on GP Connect: Update Record – Community Pharmacy England (cpe.org.uk)
