NHS England has published a new funding opportunity building on the digital medicines first of type schemes, focusing on scalable technical capability across EPR and ePMA workflows, and GP Connect.
The revenue stream is focused across two themes, in medicines on admission, looking for EPR and ePMA capability to “consume fully structured GP medicines” via GP Connect. It also seeks similar capabilities in closed loop medicines management, to include end-to-end and standards-based interoperability for closed loop medicines workflows in EPR and ePMA, as well as automated dispensing cabinets, and pharmacy stock control systems.
Trusts applying for the funding are expected to supply evidence of supplier commitment, the “commercial approach” to be taken, and how they will work in partnership with other trusts using the same supplier.
Applications are expected to open at the beginning of June, with a deadline given for applications of 17 July at 5pm.
Wider trend: Digital medicines
University Hospitals of Liverpool Group has shared “significant progress” around digital medicines infrastructure at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, highlighting a large-scale EPMA upgrade, the rollout of EPMA in emergency departments, the deployment of automated drug cabinets, and the implementation of the Philips ICCA EPR in critical care. The digital medicines team’s portfolio includes the EPMA and its web portal, the Careflow pharmacy stock control system, and medicines automation. A visit from the NHS England digital medicines team earlier in 2025 reportedly offered positive feedback, specifically on local data-driven initiatives and the Time Critical Medicines Dashboard.
The Ministry of Defence has awarded a contract worth £8 million to The Phoenix Partnership (Leeds) Ltd for an EHR and medicines management system, following a competition through the Clinical Digital Solutions for the Integrated Health Economy Framework part of the NHS London Procurement Partnership. The contract, which is set to run to 8 December 2033, covers standard primary care functionality such as patient registration, consultations, clinical data capture templates, referrals management, long-term condition management, and prescribing. It also incorporates intermediate care functionality such as waiting list management and care planning, as well as medicines management and dispensing.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has celebrated the go-live of electronic prescribing and medicines administration at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, and become the first Welsh health board to achieve ePMA integration with the shared medicines record. The transition to an ePMA provided by Better follows a successful early adopter trial with the Heddfan Unit in December, the board shares. G0-live took place over three days, with clinical teams working to manually transcribe 600 inpatients onto the system prior to introducing ePMA as part of routine care.
