Introduction
The NHS in Scotland is considering the introduction of a system of electronic prescriptions which could radically change the current dispensing process. The Scottish Executive (formerly the Scottish Office) is currently investigating various options. The University of Aberdeen is being funded by the Scottish Pharmaceutical General Council (SPGC) to look at the requirements of the people who will be most affected - the patients, the GPs and community pharmacists.

Objectives

1. Identify the professional interactions which depend on data interchange for optimum delivery;
2. Specify the information required a) of community pharmacy from general practice, b) of general practice from community pharmacy, c) of the Practitioner Services Division (PSD) from community pharmacy and d) to be transmitted to general practice by PSD.
3. Identify and explore key issues for a) community pharmacists, b) GPs and c) the patient including patient confidentiality.

Methods
In order to describe the requirements of the stakeholders, various methods were employed to identify the issues likely to be of most importance to them. These issues will form the basis for respondent- specific postal questionnaires which will be sent to a random sample of 200 GPs and 200 pharmacists in Scotland. 800 Scottish patients will also receive a questionnaire.

The methods used to identify issues included;

• A literature review identified current and previous work undertaken in this field and current thinking in maintaining or improving patient confidentiality.
• Interviews were held with opinion leaders representing each of the main stakeholders. These included PSD, SPGC, Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the BMA. At time of writing, interviews have still to be completed with representatives of the Scottish Practitioner General Council and the Scottish Executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
• A focus group of eight community pharmacists was convened to discuss the concept of electronic prescriptions.
• A range of individual GPs were interviewed to discuss electronic prescriptions.
• A focus group for patients is to be arranged.
• Pharmacists from Denmark and Holland, where electronic prescriptions are already available, were interviewed.
• A project website asking for opinions from anyone with an interest in the subject was developed and advertised in professional journals.

Findings and conclusions
Analysis of the data collected so far is ongoing. Results from the questionnaires will be reviewed by representative samples of all stakeholders using Delphi techniques.

The presentation will describe some possible models for systems of electronic prescribing. It will then focus on the issues identified by community pharmacists, GPs and patients as those which should most importantly be considered in the development of such a system.