AQW 18458/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health

To ask the Minister of Health to detail any plans to remedy the new IT system to ensure that medication does not drop off a patient's prescription if it is not renewed within a five day period.

Asked by Michelle Guy MLA on 19 November 2024

  • Answered
  • Written
Tabled
19 November 2024
Answer due by
4 December 2024
Answered
4 December 202415 days after tabling
Department
Department of Health
Priority question
No

Answer

The encompass pharmacy team have worked with the Antimicrobial Stewardship Team from across the region to agree how the encompass clinical decision support tool is configured. As recommended, the encompass system includes a default duration of five days for all antimicrobials. The prescribing clinician can change this duration at the point of prescribing and any prescribed order can be modified at any time. A number of prompts has been built into the system to support clinicians to actively manage orders for antimicrobials within the first five days of treatment after 48, 72 and 96 hours.

Official sources