Motion 42
Urgent Action on NHS Digital Integration for Pharmacists & Other Health Professionals
“That this Congress believes that effective, real-time information sharing between all health professionals is essential for patient safety and quality care.
“Congress notes that despite previous policies aimed at creating a single integrated care record in Scotland, progress is very slow. Pharmacists prescribing in community settings remain unable to annotate patient notes, share clinical interventions digitally or view clinical results. Communication relies on insecure and inefficient methods such as paper or email, creating delays and risks for patients.
“Your health is affected by the combination of treatments you receive.
“Congress further notes that while pharmacists currently access limited data through the Pharmacy Care Record, this does not enable meaningful two-way information sharing with GPs and other clinicians. This gap is concerning given the expansion of pharmacists’ clinical roles, including independent prescribing. From 2026, almost all pharmacy graduates will qualify as prescribers, yet many will still lack full and appropriate access to patient records, undermining safe prescribing and continuity of care.
“Congress supports the long-term goal of a single integrated patient record across health and social care. However, this is unlikely to materialise until the mid-2030’s. Interim measures must be implemented urgently. Congress believes that joining the existing NHS England Spine infrastructure, as Wales has successfully done, offers a practical and immediate route to secure, integrated read/write access for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.
“It would also enable an instant move to the digitalisation and instant transmission of prescriptions from prescribers to pharmacies, a process that currently takes several days.
“Congress therefore calls on the General Council to lobby the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland to prioritise immediate digital solutions, including adoption of proven systems such as NHS Spine, to enable Scottish pharmacists to record interventions and share information in real time with other healthcare providers, thus improving patient safety and reducing wasteful, outdated practices.”
Mover: Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA)
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