A NEW system that allows doctors to send prescriptions electronically to chemists has been launched.

The electronic Acute Medication Service, or eAMS, will see GPs submitting patient prescriptions into the same online system used by pharmacists, who can then access them.

The eAMS is the first system of its kind in the UK and is on offer at 99% of doctors' surgeries and pharmacies.

However, patients will continue to be given traditional paper prescriptions until the system is well established.

Viewing an eAMS demonstration at the LG Pharmacy in Finnieston, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "We have a very successful prescribing system in Scotland, with around one million paper prescriptions written by GPs every week and dispensed in community pharmacies.

"But we can always do more and that's what eAMS will achieve.

"With eAMS we are now seeing more than 90% of prescriptions submitted electronically.

"This shows the demand among GPs and pharmacists to work together to make the best use of the latest technology to improve services for patients.

"Scottish medicine is rightly proud of its innovation and the development and adoption of this new technology expansion continues this valuable tradition."

In addition to cutting the risk of errors between GPs and pharmacists, eAMS adds improvements such as using universal codes for virtually all medicines. This boosts efficiency and will lead to less reliance on traditional paper prescriptions.

Community Pharmacy Scotland chairman Martin Green said: "Patient safety is central to the daily activity of dispensing prescriptions in community pharmacies across Scotland.

"The introduction of eAMS further contributes to safe systems of work, by improving the communication of information between GP practices and pharmacies."