The following are extracts from an email chain advising a practice on the process. It is currently incomplete and  not currently intended for distribution without context and support from the Clinical Systems Team.

Things to know before

• SystmOne stock control is only suitable for standard items that would be provided to patients.
   e.g. You will often not be able to add tubs of 1000 paracetamol to stock control.
• There will be items you cannot add to SystmOne stock control due to having no barcode or not being compatible with the Multilex drug/appliance database from FDB; you will still require staff resource to perform a second-check on these items.
• You are not mandated to use any stock control system, nor are you restricted to TPP solution; there are third party providers including those with EPS support for Dispensing Doctors. As with any major process change, you should consider your desired outcomes and the options available to you before making a decision.

Before you decide

1. Watch the stock control videos on TPP Learning Academy
   (link available in SystmOne: Help > Support & FAQs).
2. Read through this document.
3. Discuss any questions or things that aren’t clear with the Clinical Systems Team.
   [email protected]

Planning your enablement date

There are things you should do prior to your switch-on date for stock control; this will take notable time and resource for any normal sized dispensary.

1. Check/test your barcode scanners are compatible with SystmOne Stock Control
2. Add wholesalers/suppliers e.g. Phoenix
3. Consider whether you will:
   1. “Walk”: Use dummy stock and order manually (with option to move to ‘Run’)
   2. “Learn to walk before you can run”: Start with dummy stock and order manually, with the intent of moving to true stock levels and automatic ordering later
   3. “Run”: Directly to true stock for semi-automatic ordering. (We do not recommended: Complicated and significant time constraints to ensure valid stock levels).
4. Add all stock lines (not stock numbers!)
5. If currently using a third-party dispensing solution (e.g. DispensIT) you may need to re-configure your dispensing printers.

Initial setup

⚠ It is recommended this is started several weeks prior to your desired switch-on date. Only the tiniest of dispensaries are likely to be able to complete all actions in a single switch-on day.

1. Ensure you have barcode readers that are compatible/configured for S1 stock control (and enough of them)
   How to test: Open up Word, scan a barcode. Does it type the barcode AND a return/enter ⏎?
   If so; congratulations, your barcode scanners with work with S1 stock control. ??
   If not;
   1. Review your barcode reader manuals (you may need to find these online if you no longer have the originals) for how to reconfigure your device.
   2. Discuss with the Clinical Systems Team for advice if needed.
   3. Alternatively, replace the barcode scanners. (We recommend scanners with a stand so you can keep your hands free)
2. Dispensing > Dispensing Settings > Org Settings > Functionality > Enable stock control
   You’ll need to ‘Enable stock control functionality’ at all sites you intend to have stock.
   ❗Do not tick ‘Use stock for prescribed medication’ yet.
3. Dispensing > Dispensing Settings > Org Settings > Stock Control
   Ensure the following are set:
   1. ✅ Recording a reason is mandatory when using Override
   2. ❌Untick Automatically reorder the default quantity… (Avoid for now, consider later once used to the process. With it unticked the system will tell you when going below stock as ask if you want to order give you the option to agree/disagree as needed)
   3. ✅ Validate dispensed medication using barcodes
   4. ✅ When all correct barcodes are read, automatically close…
   5. Recommended: Add an obnoxious sound for when incorrect barcode is scanned so this cannot be missed by staff.
      We do not have a full list of supported audio formats, but can confirm Wave files (.wav) work and MP3 files do not.
      
4. Dispensing > Dispensing Settings > Org Settings > Stock Ordering
   1. Add your wholesalers and account numbers to ‘Stock Ordering’ for each site
      Note: Some wholesalers print a shortened version of the account number on documents and S1 won’t allow this, must be the full account number. Discuss with your wholesaler if the system will not allow you to enter this.
      1. For Phoenix and AAH you can set order method to XML (Electronic ordering through SystmOne)
      2. For Unichem (Alliance), we recommend setting to the Fax temporarily.
         Why? Unichem requires additional software to order electronically so to being with we recommend just having S1 generate a list of items to order and submitting this via the website manually.
         If Unichem are your main wholesaler, get in touch with their technical team. You’ll need a piece of software installed at each dispensing site and those machines with the software should be running during all dispensary opening hours.
   2. ✅  ‘Use barcodes when receiving stock’
   3. ❌ Untick ‘Default the number of packs…’ (safer and more reliable to have staff enter this value based on what arrived rather than assume you have the number ordered)
      
   4. You can now begin adding stock lines but we strongly recommend you do not start adding your real quantities. (See: Planning your enablement date)
      We recommend picking an “average” shelf, then completing the following as a comfortable pace for all items and timing yourself doing it. You can then use this to extrapolate how much time you may need to add all your stock lines and estimate a potential switch-on date (always allow more time that you think you may need to account for delays/problems).
      1. Dispensing > Current Stock
      2. New Item
      3. Search for the item, expand branded generics and select the brand whenever available.
         If not available, select the generic.
         
      4. Select the pack size
      5. Enter the current price from your wholesaler
      6. Click Read (to right of Barcode box) and scan the barcode
         If you have added as a branded item, only one barcode should be added.
          If you had to add as generic and you have multiple manufacturers/brands, you should read the different barcodes. (you can have up to 5 against one stock line)
      7. How you Single site dispensary? Leave Stock Level empty (do not start adding quantities). If you are a multiple-site dispensary, see footnote.[1]
      8. Select the correct wholesaler
      9. If this is not an item you routinely have in stock (i.e. Ordered in occasionally for one patient and has short shelf-life) untick Regularly Ordered Stock Item
          These items will not be automatically re-ordered.
      10. Set your preference for this stock line:
          1. Minimum reorder level – What is the least you ever want on the shelf of this line? Plus 1!
          2. Maximum desired stock – What is the most you ever want on the shelf of this line?
              and
          3. Default reorder quantity – What the system will prompt you to order when you go below your minimum reorder level.
             Example: If you like to have no fewer than 5 boxes of ‘Alendronic acid 70mg tablets (Teva UK Ltd)’ on the shelf, set Minimum reorder level to 6 (one above minimum you want on shelf). If you never want more than 15 on the shelf, that’s your Maximum desired stock.
             Default reorder quantity in this example would typically be 10. This means when the stock goes below the minimum (6) down to 5 or less, the system will prompt you to order 10.
      11. Repeat these steps for every stock/pack size/brand variation you have.
           We recommend marking your shelves to indicate where you’ve gotten to.

Printers

If you’re lucky, print settings are still present from S1 go live so you can just swap the setting over, but we recommend doing some tests to check and fix if not.

Prep checks (on each dispensing machine)

1. System > PC Settings > Dispensing > Print & Label Settings
2. Screenshot the settings as they currently are for DispensIT (including dimensions etc) and print/save per device (may be slightly different per machine). You will need this later.
3. Change label printer from DispensIT software printed to the actual label printer.
   If you cannot find the label printer, arrange local service desk to get this setup.
4. Adjust options depending on your labels (e.g. If org details pre-printed this is not needed).
5. ‘Print Test’
6. Fine-tune dimensions as needed. (Note: You may need to repeat 4 & 5 a lot)
   
7. Once it’s working to your liking, screenshot these settings as they currently are (including dimensions etc) and print/save per device (may be slightly different per machine)
8. Put the settings back to how they were for DispensIT.

Switch-on day

⚠ This should be a day when the surgery is not open. i.e. Weekend/bank holiday. Unless your dispensary is extremely small, it is very unlikely you can achieve this work in an evening.

No prescribing should be occurring within the unit for dispensing patients during this time. Including staff electing to work from home with laptops etc. Complete embargo on prescribing for dispensing patients that day until you’re finished.

1. Before you start adding stock quantities, you must clear the Pending Jobs queues, including anything future-dated using the  ‘Show jobs for the coming X day(s)’ option (put in something huge like 500 days and refresh).
    You should ideally have packed, labelled and bagged these (not just printed labels) or as a minimum must have taken the necessary stock off the shelves so it won’t be in what you count for stock take.
   Why? If you leave jobs in the queue, or just print the labels without separating the stock, then do stock take and turn on stock control; you’ll dispense those items but they will not use stock control and they will not be deducted from stock. This will immediately undo your stock take work and your numbers will be incorrect.
2. Once everything is cleared, start your stock take adding the packets and leftover tablets/capsules to the stock lines.
    We recommend doing so in pairs. One person at the machine, one person at the shelf counting, and person on machine confirms back once entered before moving to next item.
3. If you had to check printer settings in prep, now is the time to change them all to those you tested in preparation.
4. Once all stock numbers are set return to: Dispensing > Dispensing Settings > Org Settings > Functionality and enable ‘Use stock for prescribed medication’ for the relevant site (you can enable stock control

Dispensary related development requests:

• f7c10000 - ETP/EPS Tracker: Ability to check prescription status within SystmOne
• 03530000 - Automatic large print dispensing labels

How to vote on dev requests