Standardising data sharing between pharmacies and GPs for NHS England

The challenge: sharing patient data

In January 2024, NHS England launched the Pharmacy First initiative, enabling over 10,000 pharmacies to treat common conditions such as sinusitis, earache, shingles and urinary tract infection (UTI) without the need for a GP appointment or prescription.

To ensure patient records remain accurate and up-to-date, pharmacies need to be able to share consultation data with GPs. Without a digital solution, this data sharing often relies on outdated methods like phone calls or faxes, leading to delays and potential mistakes.

Interoperability has long been a challenge for the NHS. With multiple systems and suppliers in place, making sure that patient data flows smoothly between both services is critical for both safety and efficiency.

The NHS Direct Care API Team asked us to develop a standardised approach, ensuring data could flow seamlessly between pharmacies and GPs with the click of a button. Our role involved setting clear standards, assuring supplier compliance and conducting thorough testing.

Our approach: streamlined data sharing

• Defined clear standards: We started by developing detailed technical specifications outlining how the code should be written and how the systems should communicate. These were designed to ensure consistency, security and accuracy in data sharing. 
• Supported suppliers: We worked closely with 6 suppliers (2 GP and 4 pharmacy system suppliers). Our experienced team, composed of technical architects, business analysts, delivery managers and user researchers held regular sessions to answer their questions, resolve technical issues and ensure their builds met the required standards.
• Technical assurance: We tested the solutions against strict technical standards to ensure they were secure and reliable.
• Clinical assurance: Clinicians reviewed the systems to confirm they worked correctly and safely for real-world use.
• Streamlined testing: We introduced a more agile process to speed up clinical assurance. Instead of lengthy, fragmented reviews, we organised joint sessions where all suppliers, clinicians and safety engineers could review the solutions together. This reduced delays and encouraged faster issue resolution.
• First-of-type rollout: Once the solutions passed all tests, we supported a trial phase in real-world settings. This ensured the systems performed as expected and allowed us to address any final issues before a wider rollout.

Results: improved patient safety

Since launch, up to 4 million people have accessed the Pharmacy First service, many through GP referrals. Impressively, only 8% of patients using the service are referred back to their GP. This highlights the effectiveness of pharmacists in managing conditions independently.

Specifically, the solution has helped to:

Next steps for Made Tech and NHS England

NHS England has now asked us to help them improve the end-to-end assurance process, building on our deep understanding of the system. We’ll streamline implementation, enhance standards and governance, and scale these improvements across healthcare services to ensure faster, more reliable solutions that benefit patients and staff nationwide.

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