A Summary of Adding Therapy

1. From Consultation Manager, with the patient selected and a Consultation open, select the Therapy tab.
2. Start at the Current (Therapy) tab to display the Acute Therapy Add, or Repeats tab for a Repeat Master Add.
   Note - Both acutes and repeat masters can be added from the Therapy Acute Add screen. Entering a figure in Repeats makes it a repeat master, while leaving Repeats blank makes it an acute. But if you start with Repeat Master Add, you cannot make this an acute prescription, and you can only add only a repeat master.
   • On the Therapy tab, first select Current tab to add an acute, or Repeats tab if you want to add a repeat master. You then may need to press the Esc key to display the Therapy Add screen with the cursor in the Drug name (go to step 4).
   • By keyboard, press F4 then F8; or Alt-A, T, then Alt-T, N.
   • Or from Options, click on Intervention, Prescribe Acute / Prescribe Repeat.
     Training Tip - As well as adding a new item, you can also copy a previously added acute therapy item if it is similar, see Copy Therapy or Turn Acute into Repeat for details.

   If this is the first time reaching the Therapy - Add screen, you may see a Therapy Tips help screen describing how to enter quantity and therapy items in packs. If the box Show this screen again is unchecked, this Therapy Tips screen is not shown again. Press OK to continue to Therapy - Add. For the text of the message, see Therapy Tips in the section on Quantity and Preparation for details.

3. Select the drug or therapy item - The cursor is flashing in the Drug selection window on a Therapy Add screen. Two options: either type part of the drug name at this front screen, or press F3 or double click to reach the back Select Drug screen.
   • You can type part of the whole of a drug name directly on the front Therapy Add screen and press Enter in the Drug window on Therapy - Add. This does not display the dictionary listing for selection, but the first and nearest match to what you have typed; then use the up/down arrow keys to go through the dictionary one by one till you reach the drug name, form and strength you require. If you are set as a user to select by default from the formulary, and you enter a therapy item which is not in the formulary, a message appears: Drug name [name] not found in formulary. Do you wish to search the main dictionary? Yes / No Answer Yes (this saves having to re-enter the drug).
   • The better way to select a drug is to press <F3>or double click within the Drug name window to display the Select Drug screen (the added advantage of this screen is that you are given detailed Product Information about each item). Then select from the drug dictionary by typing part or the whole of a drug name, for example, type LOSEC and press Enter (or click on Find) to display Losec caps 10mg, then use the down arrow key until you reach the strength or entry you require. You need not specify the form and strength at this stage (see Enter a drug name and select therapy item).

   If you highlight the item you want, further product and pack information can be displayed in the bottom section (see Select Drug screen - Product information).

   Also check this drug against the current selected patient's other therapy and clinical data, by pointing to it and clicking with the right mouse, selecting Drug Check (see Drug check displays).

4. Confirm selection of the required drug from the drug list by either double clicking on it, or clicking to highlight it then OK. You are returned to the front Therapy-Add screen. (If you made a mistake, click on Clear and re-select a drug). Then fill in the remaining prompts:

   Quantity, Preparation, Packs, - Enter quantity depending on the units in Preparation. Clicking on the pillbox icon lists the pack information - highlight and OK to select.

   Dosage - enter the dosage by clicking with the right mouse button in the Dosage window and selecting List. Select a dosage code by double clicking and build up the dosage message. Note that if you have Use Gemscript Posology defaults switched on, the dosage and quantity will be entered automatically (see Default Settings for Therapy).

   Click in P/Admin or Dispensed boxes if a personally administered item (for example, injection) or dispensed item. Allocate a batch no. and manufacturer, or add a new batch number then allocate it (see Personally Administered, Batch Number, Manufacturer).

   In the Pack Size field below Batch Number, the selection arrow will be enabled as soon as you click within P admin/Dispensed. The lists available packs for your selection. When printing the prescription, this will automatically print pack labels for each pack that makes up the prescribed quantity.

   If this is to be a repeat master, you must enter a figure in Repeats. This then turns the prescribing into a repeat master. This figure is the number of times the patient can request a repeat of this prescription without having to see you. After that, the prescription will need reauthorising before further issues can be made. You can optionally complete the other Repeat fields (see Repeats, Repeat Until, Days Between, Force Reauthorise).

   Check the other default entries are correct; if so, skip to step 15. If you want to make amendments from the default, which is to print an NHS script with today's date for the GP currently signed on, see Date Prescribed, Prescriber, Source of Drug, Print Script and Private Prescriptions .

   If you have chosen a brand name, you can change to its generic equivalent by selecting Switch to Generic . If you have chosen a generic where it is recommended/mandatory that the brand be prescribed, you can select Switch to Brand .

   Once you have done this, the icon will disappear.

   If you need to re-select the drug, double click within the Drug Name window to return to the Using the Select Drug Screen for details.

   To add free text which prints on the right-hand side of the prescription form, select Therapy Notes , enter your free text in the Information for Patients and select OK. Therapy Notes displays a tick.

5. Finally select OK, after checking the entries and entering the dosage and quantity, see Accept OK on Therapy - Add for details.

   A Drug Checks warningsscreen displays. This first shows warnings of any contraindications, interactions or drug doubling for you to check whether to proceed with the prescription, seeDrug Checks for details. If you answer Yes to Do you still wish to prescribe this drug?, the Therapy Records screen is re-displayed, from which you can print the prescription (see Print prescriptions -).

   You may then be asked to link the Medication to a problem, if these options have been set. SeeMedication linked to Problem for details.

6. To print the prescription, the drug you have just added should be selected and marked > or highlighted on the initial Therapy screen (if not, double click on it or highlight it and press the space bar).
7. Press F9 on your keyboard for the Prescription Manager screen. Check the Authorised Signatory and tick Drug Labels, Bag Labels and Print Reorder Form as required.
8. Proceed to print by selecting Print or press F9 on your keyboard again. If a dispensed item in packs, pack labels print. Drug labels and bag labels also print if marked to do so.

Note - To print this topic select Print in the top right corner and follow the on-screen prompts.