Primary Care Prescribing Decision Support System - Hertfordshire and West Essex

The Prescribing Decision Support Tool enables prescribers (GPs, nurses and pharmacists) to understand the recommended local choices for prescribing. The implementation of this system creates significant savings through prescribers accepting the recommended switches and also educates prescribers to select those first choice products the next time these are prescribed. The tool also provides safety messages at the point of prescribing.

A contract to deliver the Prescribing Decision Support Tool across the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (HWE ICB) area has been awarded to Optum. This contract has been awarded via the SBS Framework for Medicines Management Prescribing Decision Support Systems 2 (Reference SBS/19/AB/WAS/9389) following a review of all available tools within the Framework to fully explore the service offering to enable an informed decision to be made on which tool best meets the needs of the Contracting Authority and provides the best value for money solution, in line with the requirements of the Framework Agreement.

The contract will be a single contract covering all 3 CCGs in Hertfordshire and West Essex (Herts Valleys CCG, East and North Herts CCG and West Essex CCG) and hosted by West Essex CCG until 1st July 2022 at which time the contract will transfer to the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board.