This story was originally published by Independent Community Pharmacist.

NHS England has said an IT system that will give community pharmacists the ability to ensure patients’ GP records are updated after they have been seen in pharmacies will be ready by next month.

NHSE’s pledge that pharmacists across the country will be able to send information about patients’ consultations to practices through GP Connect, made in its latest patient bulletin on Thursday (January 11), is good news as far as the Pharmacy First scheme, which launches on January 31, is concerned given the need for improved interoperability to facilitate the service.

NHSE wants pharmacists to be able to send patients’ GPs notifications that a Pharmacy First consultation has taken place in their pharmacy on the same day or the next working day at the latest and provide details about those consultations.

NHSE also said it will develop a triage system that will direct patients to pharmacies for the seven conditions under Pharmacy First via referrals from NHS 111 and urgent and emergency care.

The pharmacy sector has long called for pharmacists across England to be given read-write access to patient records, although pharmacy IT suppliers have been racing against the clock to ensure their clinical systems are ready ahead of Pharmacy First’s launch.