CUTTING NHS COSTS THROUGH DIGITAL PHARMACY INNOVATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND
In Northern Ireland, community pharmacies are embracing digital tools, workflow optimisation and technology-driven solutions that not only improve patient access but also save valuable time and resources.
T
hrough automation, app-based consultations and innovative premises redesign, pharmacies are helping to
future-proof the NHS against the critical challenge of delivering high quality, accessible care while reducing systemic costs.
Building the digital architecture for the future The Community Pharmacy Strategic Plan 2030 describes the vision and strategic priorities for community pharmacy. The document delivers a recommendation from the Health and Wellbeing 2026 Delivering Together Strategy to develop a framework to fully realise the potential of community pharmacy services to support better health outcomes from medicines and prevent illness.
Pillar Four within the strategic plan outlines the transformative vision for community pharmacy, aiming to establish a fully digital, safe and paperless infrastructure by 2030. At the heart of this vision is the ePharmacy Programme, which seeks to revolutionise the way medicines are supplied and services are delivered by integrating digital tools and systems across the sector.
A key element of this strategy involves giving community pharmacists access to patient records through the Northern Ireland Electronic Care Record (NIECR), enabling safer, more informed care. Alongside this, the programme will introduce electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP), significantly reducing reliance on paper- based processes and increasing efficiency across pharmacies, GP practices and the wider healthcare system.
Central to the Strategic Plan is the development and implementation of the “Go Pharmacy NI” platform. This digital solution will support enhanced service delivery by enabling patient registration with individual pharmacies, improving performance reporting and streamlining administrative processes.
A New Era for Pharmacy Premises With this ambitious digital vision in mind, some Northern Irish pharmacies have already invested in new technology and workflow solutions which unlock efficiencies in their pharmacies today - redesigning their physical premises to integrate technology and improve service efficiency. For example, upgraded consultation rooms allow for private, tech-enabled interactions, including
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