Prescription backlog support for GP practices and PCNs
Prescription backlog support for GP practices and PCNs
A service scoped to your outstanding medicines work
Virtual Pharmacist provides managed clinical pharmacist support for GP practices and PCNs with outstanding prescription requests and medicines queries. We agree the task list, the clinical responsibilities and the reporting before work starts, then deliver the commissioned workload within your existing clinical system.
This page is for practices seeking a proposal for backlog support. Our repeat prescribing service and medicines queries service describe the individual workstreams. The backlog brief brings the relevant tasks together with a starting count, priorities and a handover plan.
What can be included in the brief?
Describe the outstanding prescription requests and medicines queries you want covered. Separate repeat requests, acute requests, community-pharmacy queries and tasks awaiting a practice decision. Where medicines-related correspondence is part of the problem, identify it separately so the appropriate reconciliation workstream can be scoped.
Our pharmacists work within their competence and the agreed service scope. Prescribing decisions require the appropriate prescribing authority; unclear requests, urgent concerns and work outside scope follow the agreed practice escalation route. Access to the clinical system does not extend that authority.
Service capacity, priorities and any target timescales are agreed in the proposal.
How to commission prescription backlog support
- Describe the starting position. Tell us the number and type of outstanding tasks, their age where known, and how many new requests arrive during a typical week. Provide aggregate workload information in the initial enquiry.
- Agree the work and responsibilities. Name the tasks included, the local protocols, the practice contact and the clinical escalation route. Distinguish backlog work from any ongoing service you also need.
- Arrange access and handover. Access is arranged through the practice’s existing systems. Share the agreed task queues, recording conventions and any items already in progress.
- Review progress against the brief. Agree the report format and frequency, including completed work, outstanding items and actions awaiting a practice decision.
Use the scoping and handover template to prepare your brief. You can also inspect our clinical governance and data security information before discussing a service.
A defined starting workload
Agree the task types, current volumes and priorities before commissioning support.
Work in your existing system
We work in EMIS, SystmOne, Vision and Medicus, with access arranged by the practice.
Clear clinical escalation
Name the route for urgent concerns and decisions outside the pharmacist's authorised scope.
Visible progress
Agree how completed work, outstanding items and practice actions will be reported.
Practice and PCN scope
Identify each participating practice, its system and the workload to be commissioned.
A practical handover
Record work already started, local protocols and who owns any remaining actions.
How Does Virtual Pharmacist Work?
Explore our services
Submit an enquiry
Get started
Frequently Asked Questions
What is prescription backlog support?
It is commissioned clinical pharmacist support for an agreed set of outstanding prescription requests and medicines queries. The brief defines the work included, clinical responsibilities, access and reporting. It can be discussed alongside an ongoing prescribing service.
Which tasks should we include in an enquiry?
List the task types and aggregate volumes: repeat requests, acute requests, medicines queries and any medicines-related correspondence you want assessed for scope. Tell us how much new work arrives as well as the outstanding workload.
Can pharmacists authorise every request?
No. Prescribing decisions require the appropriate authority and must be within the clinician’s competence and agreed scope. Requests needing further assessment or a decision outside that scope are escalated through the practice pathway.
Do you work in EMIS Web and SystmOne?
Yes. Virtual Pharmacist works in EMIS, SystmOne, Vision and Medicus. See our EMIS Web guide and SystmOne guide. Access and recording arrangements are agreed with each practice.
Can a PCN commission support across several practices?
Yes. Identify the member practices, their systems and the task volumes for each. The proposal needs to define practice-level responsibilities and the reporting required for the network.
How quickly can the backlog be cleared?
That depends on the workload, available service capacity, access readiness and the decisions or information needed to complete individual tasks. Mobilisation and any target timescales are agreed in the proposal.
What will progress reporting show?
The measures and frequency are agreed with you. The brief should distinguish work completed, work still outstanding, items awaiting information and matters escalated for a practice decision. A completed task and a clinical outcome are different measures.
What is the next step?
Send us an enquiry with your practice or PCN, systems, task types and aggregate volumes. We can then discuss the scope and a proposal. Patients seeking an update about their own prescription should contact their practice.
