Skip to main content
NHS National Services Scotland Home

About the Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways programme

Published on 24 September 2024

The Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways (DPDP) programme focuses on revolutionising the prescribing and dispensing process in Scotland.

The new process will ultimately replace the paper prescription with a digital solution. We will achieve this by developing an end-to-end digital solution for in-hours prescribing from General Practices through to community pharmacy dispensing. This solution will meet the legislative requirements for the Advanced Electronic Signature and will replace the wet signature.

It will bring with it several benefits:

  • An easier and more efficient way to order and receive prescriptions
  • Safer, more efficient and faster processes for prescribers and dispensers
  • Multi-professional and multi-location digital prescribing, which will support new service models
  • Support for climate sustainability by reducing the use, transport, scanning and destruction of paper.

Scottish Government has commissioned and funded the DPDP programme for the next multi-year phase. The programme is co-sponsored by three parts of Scottish Government:

  • Professor Alison Strath of the Medicines and Pharmacy Policy Team
  • Jonathan Cameron Head of Digital Health and Care in the Scottish Government
  • Sarah Lowry of the Primary Care Directorate

The programme is jointly delivered by NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland in collaboration with stakeholders.

Design and development of the DPDP solution is progressing through 2022 to 2024. Our aim is to begin implementation for in-practice prescribing and dispensing through mid-2024 to mid-2026.

Please have a look at our Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways (DPDP) Programme Animation.

DPDP newsletters

We produce a regular newsletter which provides updates on DPDP. If you would like to join our distribution list please contact NSS.digitalprescribing@nhs.scot.

Click the links below to access previous editions of the newsletter.

Upcoming events

There are currently no upcoming events. Please check back later.

Get in touch

To find out more about the on-going work please contact NSS.digitalprescribing@nhs.scot