Ascribe announces successful implementation of Hospital Pharmacy web-based IT solution

Ascribe (AIM:ASP), the health IT Group, is pleased to announce that it has successfully implemented a new web-based IT solution at Tameside General Hospital’s Pharmacy Department to manage their dispensary and stores processes. This breakthrough will enable healthcare personnel to raise requests for prescriptions to the hospital pharmacy through authorised web-access points; the main benefits are considerable time-savings and further reductions in errors. This solution also marks a major step towards further integration with other clinical systems within Hospitals such as ‘Electronic Prescribing and Medicine Administration’ (ePMA).

Speaking on behalf of Ascribe, Stephen Critchlow, CEO & Chairman stated: “We are delighted with the initial progress reports, this is a major technological breakthrough and we are now starting to make real progress in the web-based integration of clinical systems in healthcare”.

Ascribe solutions are already installed in over 60% of UK Hospitals. The new web-based architecture allows Hospitals to move forward with their prescription technology. This solution is based upon Microsoft’s SQL server, this provides a more modern and robust basis for further development.

Speaking on behalf of Tameside General Hospital, Mr Tony Sivner, Chief Pharmacist said: “The solution is up and running and it is allowing us to process our incoming prescription requests without delays. Now that this system is in place we look forward to developing further integration with our other IT systems.”

Notes to Editors.

Contacts:

Simon Mehlman, Group Marketing Manager
Tel: +44(0) 161 280 8080
Email: simon.mehlman@ascribe.com

Ben Granger, Tameside General Hospital
Tel: +44 (0) 161 922 4080

About Tameside General Hospital:
Tameside General Hospital is run by Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust and is located in Ashton-Under-Lyne.

Situated at the foot of the Pennines, eight miles to the east of Manchester, the Trust services a population of over 250,000. The population is concentrated in the largely industrialised areas of the eight townships of Tameside, which comprises Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. In addition to this, Glossop, with its population of approximately 28,000 is part of Derbyshire High Peak Borough Council, and provides the challenges of a more rural community.
The Trust received the full three star rating out of three from the Healthcare Commission in 2005, confirming its high quality of care. It is currently applying for Foundation Trust status.
About Ascribe plc:
Ascribe plc is a leading healthcare company that develops and markets software solutions supporting patient, clinical and business processes to the international healthcare market. The Group provides solutions to Emergency and Minor Injuries units, Mental Health and Social Care units, Hospitals requiring patient administration systems (PAS) and medical equipment management, Hospital and Retail Pharmacies, and General Practice surgeries.

Ascribe is committed to providing technologies that improve patient safety standards. Electronic Prescribing is a widely recognised contributor to the improvement of patient safety and the reduction of medication errors. A US report by the Institute of Medicine released in July 2006 reported that at least 1.5 million Americans are sickened, injured or killed each year by errors in prescribing, dispensing and taking medications, this same report cited Electronic Prescribing as part of the solution. An article written by Rose Shepherd in the Sunday Times in July 2005 reported that medicines taken in the UK were responsible for killing up to 20,000 people a year in the UK — six times as many as die on Britain's roads.

Ascribe plc was floated on AIM in 2004, and currently employs 200 personnel through its seven operating companies in the UK, Hong Kong, Kenya, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, please visit www.ascribe.com.


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