Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government plans to end the use of paper prescriptions.
The Government wants to enable as many prescriptions as possible to be sent electronically. However paper prescriptions for those who require them will still be available.
In England there has been an unprecedented growth in the use and availability of electronic prescriptions in primary care, and more is being done to expand their use. This builds on work already ongoing throughout the National Health Service, where in January 2021 89% of prescription items were sent via the Electronic Prescription Service.
NHS Digital is looking to improve the current functionality of electronic prescribing and extend its use into other care settings.
Expansion has been implemented in phases.