1.1 Background

NHS Ayrshire & Arran (NHS AA) have implemented the Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) system for medicines prescribing and administration.

Due to the increasing utilisation of HEPMA across NHS AA there is a requirement for all Agency Registered Nurses to be able to access and utilise the HEPMA live site. Therefore, before any bookings are made agency workers must complete the required documentation and NHS AA training (see appendix 1-6) prior to being assigned a shift.

HEPMA nursing training can be accessed at HEPMA nursing training | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot)
Agency Nurses will be granted access to HEPMA in NHS AA on completion of training and acceptance of a shift.

Agencies have been contacted to inform staff members of the requirements for all Agency Registered Nurse’s to be set up to access HEPMA before any bookings.

Information on the training and documentation to be completed can be found in Appendix 1: Agency worker – A quick information guide for an Agency Worker and associated documentation to be completed.

1.2 Scope and purpose

The information provided in this policy is relevant to all Nursing Agencies, Agency Nurses, Senior Charge Nurses (SCN) and Workforce Solutions (WFS) staff working in NHS Ayrshire & Arran across all settings.

The purpose of this policy is to explain and introduce the required training and documentation which is to be completed prior to Registered Agency Nurses obtaining access to HEPMA.

The Code of Practice for Medicines Governance represents the local policy regarding how medicines are managed within NHS Ayrshire & Arran. The Code applies equally to all healthcare professionals involved in the prescribing, administration and supply of medicine. Staff must ensure that they are aware of and comply with the requirements as outline in the code.

All staff must be familiar with and adhere to the NHS Ayrshire & Arran Code of Practice for Medicines Governance and the requirements of their own regulatory and/or professional bodies.

2.1 Staff group responsibilities

Registered Nurses are responsible for working within the legal and professional frameworks within the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code.

Registered nurses are personally responsible for putting patients first and for a commitment to safety, ethics, values, principles and improvement. They are also responsible for practicing within their own scope and competence, using their acquired knowledge, skills and judgement. They are responsible for their own professional actions and for following procedure.

Agency Nurses working in NHS AA must complete the NHS AA Administration of medicine competency / assurance checklist (Appendix 2).
It is the responsibility of the Workforce Solutions (WFS) to ensure the Agency Nurse has the necessary training and documentation as per this policy. WFS will maintain professional oversight. If there was a performance issue, it would be reported by the SCN to WFS to investigate. The SCN/Nurse-in-Charge where the Agency Nurse is working should always ensure the Agency Nurse has completed appropriate documentation before practicing.

The HEPMA Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration team are responsible for the ongoing administration, management, user training and system development.

New and existing nursing agencies have been informed of the requirement for all Registered Agency Nurses to be set up to access NHS A&A HEPMA system.

It is the intention that before any Agency Nursing bookings are confirmed by email NHS AA require the following steps to be taken:

a) Workforce Solutions staff confirms Agency Nurse HEPMA Training status at the point of booking and will hold a spreadsheet with the included Agency Nurses to see if prospective Agency Nurse already has access from an earlier bookings. There will also be a conversation with the Agency Manager to establish any existing access as well as where and when the shift is booked.
b) Agency Nurses who may have existing accounts in other Health Boards will still need to complete NHS Ayrshire & Arrans agreed training as other versions of the systems will behave differently or contain different prescribing and administration protocols.
c) If the Agency Nurse has the correct training then the shift dates can be added.
d) If however new access is required then the Agency Nurse must follow the steps in the Training and Access pack which is available at [HEPMA nursing training | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot)].

To protect confidential information in relation to the business of NHS AA (the organisation) and to control access to the NHS AA organisation network, all parties not directly employed by the organisation, e.g. local authorities, drug agencies etc who may require log-on privileges are required to complete Appendix 3, NHS AA Confidentiality statement in respect of network Connection for agency staff and all other groups.

All parties must be aware of the importance of respecting confidentiality and the likely consequences of failing to do so which, in the first instance, will result in permanent disconnection from the network.

Any breaches of the above will result in an Incident Reporting form being initiated and the party involved being formally reported to their Head of Department and relevant sponsor within NHS Ayrshire & Arran.

While the Agency Nurse is with the NHS organisation they are also subject to the same rules relating to confidentiality as an NHS Board employee.

Failure to observe these rules could result in the contract/placement being ended.

The agency/training establishment will also be advised why the employment/ placement has been terminated.

Prior to connection to the network the Confidentiality Statement in respect of network connection for agency staff and all other groups this form requires consideration and approval by Directors and will be reviewed on an annual basis.

Should the Agency Nurse no longer require access they are requested to contact the System Access Team as soon as possible.

This appendix is also available in PDF format.

It is a requirement for all Agency Registered Nurses to be able to access and utilise HEPMA live site, therefore before any bookings are made agency workers must complete the necessary NHS Ayrshire & Arran training prior to being assigned a shift.

Agencies have been contacted are to remind staff members of the requirements for all RN’s to be set up to access HEPMA before any bookings.

The LearnPro HEPMA educational resource can be found at: https://learn.nes.nhs.scot/50872/elearning-digital/hepma-nursing-training

Appendix 2: The Code of Practice for Medicines Governance. HEPMA Agency Nurse working in NHS Ayrshire and Arran Administration of medicine competency and assurance checklist

Appendix 3: Confidentiality Agreement

Appendix 4: WellSky Access Request Form

Appendix 5: WellSky SCN Form

WellSky (HEPMA) Nurse and Midwife Training Manual 

The code of practice for medicines governance. Agency nurse working in NHS Ayrshire and Arran administration of medicine competent/assurance checklist (PDF version)

The code of practice for medicines governance. Agency nurse working in NHS Ayrshire and Arran administration of medicine competent/assurance checklist (Word version)

Confidentiality statement in respect of network connection for agency staff and all other groups (PDF version)

Confidentiality statement in respect of network connection for agency staff and all other groups (Word version)

NHS Ayrshire & Arran Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) system access request form (PDF version)

NHS Ayrshire & Arran Hospital Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (HEPMA) system access request form (Word version)

NHS Ayrshire & Arran agency nurse access to Wellsky system (PDF version)

NHS Ayrshire & Arran agency nurse access to Wellsky system (Word version)