A new electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration system is set to be rolled out at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, aiming to make the process of medicines dispensing and administration easier, more efficient and safer.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB) has selected Better as its technology supplier to roll out electronic prescribing and medicines administration in its local area hospitals. 

The new electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration system, known as ePMA, will revolutionise medicines prescribing and administration across hospitals within the health board by making the process safer, easier and more efficient. 

Implementing ePMA solutions across NHS Wales is a key part of Digital Medicines Programme, led by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), to ensure the prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines is easier, safer and more efficient for patients and clinicians. 

A dedicated team at ABUHB has been established to maintain a focus on enhancing prescribing safety for patients during the roll out of its Secondary Care ePMA system. This has helped the team at ABUHB to identify a number of benefits of ePMA, including reductions in spend on medications, improved safety around better documentation of allergies, and a reduction in time spent by health and care staff locating patient information. 

Dr Melanie Poole, ABUHB Lead ePMA Doctor, says: “The implementation of ePMA is a significant step forward in the health board’s digital strategy, harnessing technology to enhance healthcare delivery. We are excited to be partnering with Better to transform prescribing and medicines administration across Aneurin Bevan UHB. 

“Safe and effective medication management is at the heart of every hospital patient’s care. By digitising prescribing and administration, we will streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and deliver significant benefits for both patients and healthcare professionals. 
“Clinicians will have instant access to comprehensive medication records, and decision support tools, ensuring safer prescribing and administration. Furthermore, this digital transformation enables organisation-wide analysis of prescribing trends, supporting continuous quality improvement for better patient outcomes.” 

Dr Lesley Hewer, DHCW Chair of the National ePMA Programme, said: “This is a great step forward and it’s fantastic to see Aneurin Bevan UHB collaborating with other colleagues around Wales to make this happen. Working together will mean that the patient and staff experience of receiving medication in hospitals will be safer and easier.” 

The ePMA programme will mean that medications records are stored digitally and available 24/7, further reducing time lost searching for paper charts. This will help to improve patient care and allow for easy access to a patient’s full medical history at the point of care.  

Božidarka Radović, Better Meds Product Director, said: “We are proud to support Aneurin Bevan UHB in their journey towards safer and more efficient medication management. Implementing our ePMA will not only enhance patient safety but also streamline workflows for healthcare professionals, ensuring that critical medication information is always accessible. This collaboration strengthens the foundation of a digitally connected and interoperable NHS Wales.” 

The introduction of ePMA is supported and funded by Welsh Government and is part of the Digital Medicines Programme to improve care and treatment across NHS Wales. The work of delivering ePMA in hospitals will also form part of the strategy for Aneurin Bevan UHB’s next 10-year plan for healthcare in Gwent. 

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Wales Andrew Evans, said: “The shift to digital prescribing across all hospitals and primary care is supporting increasing NHS productivity and leading to further improvements in the safe and effective use of medicines. 
“Today’s announcement that Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has chosen to partner with Better to roll out ePMA to all its hospitals, is yet another example of the excellent progress being made to deliver the Welsh Government’s commitment to fully implement electronic prescribing in Wales.” 

Aneurin Bevan UHB employs over 14,000 staff, serving the five areas of Gwent including; Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport, Torfaen as well as the neighbouring area of South Powys. There are more than 250 consultants in a total of over 1000 hospital and general practice doctors, 6,000 nurses, midwives, allied professionals and community workers.