Contact the Digital Medicines Team via email:

 epmateam@liverpoolft.nhs.uk

Here you will find updates and information relating to the work of our Digital Medicines team who manage our EPMA and Pharmacy systems across our hospitals.

 

Wellsky to Careflow upgrade

An upgrade to WellSky will take place on Monday 9 June 2025, overnight from 11pm.

WellSky will be upgraded to the latest version of the software which will now be known as Careflow Medicines Management / EPMA.

The system will be taken offline for around six hours, and it will remain unavailable for this period. This will include EPMA, Stock control and any elements of the EPMA portal which require data from WellSky. This includes ordering of any medications. The Night store stocklist will still be available.

Before 11pm on Monday 9 June 2025:

  • Ensure all staff on duty are aware the upgrade is commencing at 11pm
  • Evening drug rounds need to be prompt and completed in advance of the upgrade. 

Pharmacy staff

Further impact on Pharmacy staff will be communicated directly with the team as the upgrade covers both EPMA and Pharmacy Stock Control System.

The Digital Medicines Team is implementing an upgrade from WellSky to Careflow V8.2, scheduled to go live overnight on 9th–10th June 2025.

This upgrade introduces several enhancements, bug fixes, and new functionalities across prescribing, administration, discharge, and stock control processes, while maintaining continuity in user access and data.

Key highlights:

  • System transition: WellSky is rebranded as Careflow following acquisition by System C. The upgrade will occur overnight with a 6-hour downtime. Existing user logins, data, and links to access remain unchanged.
  • Prescribing enhancements:
    • Variable Dose Range Orders: Enables prescribing with minimum and maximum dose ranges, improving clarity and flexibility, especially for discharge prescriptions.
    • Interaction Checks: Now performed when resuming suspended medications, enhancing patient safety.
    • Prescription Overlays: New visual indicators for concluded prescriptions and future-dated outpatient orders.
  • Discharge improvements:
    • TTO Prompt: Users are now prompted to complete TTOs if they navigate away prematurely.
    • Character Counter: Added to discharge letters to manage the 999-character limit (for Walton Centre)
    • ADT Dashboard Integration: Dose and frequency fields are now merged for variable dose prescriptions.
  • Outpatient and administration updates:
    • Outpatient Prescriptions: Enhanced printing options and overlays for future-dated orders.
    • Self-Administration: Clearly marked with “SA” on charts.
    • Visual Enhancements: Weekends shaded grey; PRN history and fridge storage flags added.
  • Verification and notes:
    • Suspended medications can now be verified.
    • Pharmacist amendments now require re-verification.
    • Notes display improved with overlays and additional entry points.
  • Stock control and dispensing:
    • Unified label design across sites with clearer formatting and safety messages.
  • Bug fixes:
    • Resolved issues with patient notes performance and stop date miscalculations.
  • Future developments:
    • BD Pyxis Integration: Planned for live prescription data sync with automated cabinets.
    • Indication Recording: To be implemented post-upgrade for enhanced drug stewardship.

The upgrade will occur overnight starting at 11pm.

The system will be taken offline for around six hours, and it will remain unavailable for this period. This will include EPMA, Stock control and any elements of the EPMA portal which require data from WellSky. This includes ordering of any medications. The Night store stocklist will still be available.

During the downtime any patients requiring new medications will be prescribed on paper charts which will be distributed to wards prior to go-live. Administrations due during the downtime will be administered against pre-printed MAC charts which will be printed prior to the system being taken offline.

The upgrade replaces the current version of the software. This means that the system will continue to operate as normal once back online.

  • Usernames and passwords will remain the same and continue to work as before the upgrade
  • Current prescriptions for inpatients will continue as they were before the system was taken offline
  • All historical data including patient prescribing records will remain the same
  • Links to the login page will remain the same
  • The only need to re-prescribe or transcribe any medications will be to transfer any prescriptions started overnight whilst the system is down.

Between 11pm - 5am (estimated)

WellSky will be unavailable from 11pm Monday 9th June overnight into Tuesday 10th June for up to 6 hours

 

During this period follow the below guidance:

Existing patients:

Prescribing and administration of medicines for current patients will revert to printed fall-back charts available through disaster recovery computers

Patients transferred between locations during this time will need to have fall-back chart printed from transferring location before the move.

Newly admitted patients:

Prescriptions for new patients will temporarily revert to paper drug charts which will be available for admission areas.

The Pharmacy portal will be unable to process orders during the downtime.

 

For Emergency help during downtime contact EPMA team on 07825 387 250.

After 5am on Tuesday 10 June 2025

  • Once the system is available to login you can continue to use EPMA as usual
  • Access to the system remains unchanged and your usual WellSky login will work for the system (though the system will be branded as ‘Careflow’)
  • All data will be exactly as it was before the system was taken offline
  • Ensure any activity from overnight is transcribed into the live system *including documenting any completed administrations and addition of new prescriptions*
  • Handover any outstanding issues to the day team in the morning
  • Process any orders in Pharmacy portal that could not be completed overnight.