This functionality is only available to customers using the Electronic Prescription Service in England and Wales.
Verification is required to ensure the clinical accuracy of a drug pack barcode. A pharmacist must verified barcodes used in picklists a specified set number of times before they are fully recognised in the barcode database. Verifications for a pack barcode expire every 6 months.
This verification can only be done by a pharmacist with Accredited Access setup for the scanning app.
Unknown barcode scanned
During the picklist process, if the scanning app can’t verify a drug pack barcode, a message is displayed on screen that the barcode is required to be manually mapped in the Product Manager module.
If a member of the pharmacy team clicks Confirm, they will require either Accredited or Admin rights to access the Product Manager module. Only a pharmacist with Accredited access can map a new barcode within Product Manager. For a user with Supervisor access, they must click Cancel, and set aside the basket and its drug packs until the pharmacist has added the unknown barcode to the database and has then verified the pack as part of the basket accuracy check.
An unknown barcode is first mapped by a pharmacist in the barcode database, then each time that new barcode is used, verification is required, until the barcode verification criteria has been met.
Own vs shared verified databases
You can choose whether to use a verified barcode database specific to your pharmacy or a shared database that will take into account barcodes verified by other external pharmacies.
Own verified database
Using your own verified barcode database will mean only drug packs verified by a pharmacist at your pharmacy will count towards the verification of that pack barcode.
The minimum number of successful verifications required until the new barcode warning message no longer appears is 20 but this number can be changed in the scanning app settings (between 2-99).
Own verified database example: if using your own database, when scanning omeprazole at your pharmacy, this will need to be scanned and verified 20 times (if using the default) by a pharmacist at your pharmacy before the drug is fully verified and recognised in the barcode database. Once verified the verification message will no longer be displayed when scanning omeprazole. It may take a while to build up verified barcodes within the verified barcode database.
Own database is the default setting.
Shared verified database
If you choose to use a shared verified barcode database, drug packs scanned by other pharmacies will count towards the verification of that pack barcode.
You can choose the number of unique pharmacies that must verify the barcodes before a drug pack no longer requires verification. The default setting is 5 pharmacies, but you can set this to a maximum of 10.
Shared verified database example: if using a shared verified barcode database and omeprazole has already been scanned and verified by 5 other pharmacies (if using the default of 5), when the drug is scanned by your pharmacy, the verification warning won’t be displayed as it has met the verification requirement and is now recognised in the shared verified barcode database.
Irrespective of the chosen verification mechanism, all pharmacies will be contributing their mappings to the shared database.
- On the login details screen, enter your administrator login details and password, then click Login.
- Within the app, in the left-hand pane, click Settings.
The App Settings screen displayed. - Click the Product Manager tab.
- Change the following settings:
Description Setting Allow Shared Verification A shared verified barcode database allows drug packs scanned by other pharmacies to count towards the verification of a barcode on a drug. To enable this option, tick the box to the left of the ? icon.
Shared Verification – Min External Verification Define the number of manual verifications at external pharmacies required to allow a shared barcode in your system. The default is 5. Move the slider across to change to the required number.
- To save the changes, click the save icon, in the top left corner.
Mapping a barcode
Barcode mapping is done within the Product Manager section of the scanning app, where the pharmacist will go through the process of mapping the pack barcode to the drug by manually searching the drug database. Once mapped to the correct drug and the barcode has been confirmed, the unknown barcode is added to the Custom Barcodes product list, and the pack can be used to complete picklists. Barcode verification will still be required for the newly mapped drug during the picklist process, until the defined verification criteria has been met.
When mapping a pack barcode:
- You must map the barcode to the exact product, for example drug, strength, form, pack size and manufacturer
- You must map brand to brand
- You must NOT map a branded drug to the generic version, for example Ventolin must not be mapped to Salbutamol
- Login to the scanning app with Accredited access.
- In the left-hand navigation bar, click Product Manager.
- On the Product Manager screen, begin to type the drug name in the search bar for the drug or scan the drug pack barcode.
Tip: You can begin your search for a drug, using the first four characters of the drug name.
If you have scanned a barcode and receive a warning on screen, ‘Unknown barcode scanned. Please use search below to locate product to add barcode’, type in the drug name in the search box instead. - Double-click to select the correct drug product that matches exactly the drug pack that is in your hand.
- The selected product is displayed in the right-hand pane.
- A notification message is displayed. To confirm you wish to add this drug barcode, click Add Barcode to <name of drug>.
- A second notification message is displayed, asking you to confirm that the drug pack you have scanned matches exactly the information on screen. To confirm your selection matches the pack, click OK.
- A final notification message is displayed, to approve the barcode verification, click Approve.
This barcode is now added to your Custom Barcodes product list. - Click Exit Product Manager.
Barcode verification
This mapped barcode can now be used in picklists. Further verifications will be required in future picklists for this newly added barcode until the barcode verification criteria has been met.
This message will be displayed until the barcode verification criteria has been met OR the verification for a pack barcode has expired (every 6 months).
Verifying to complete a basket accuracy check
During the picklist process, if a barcode verification is required, a message is displayed ‘Verification Required’. Only a pharmacist can complete the barcode verification by confirming that the barcode scanned is correct for the item mapped and is for the item they have in their hand.
The picklist that contains the barcode that requires verification, now has the status, Verification.
- Select the required picklist and click the three vertical dots against the picklist, then select Verification.
- The basket awaiting verification is displayed. Once the information has been clinically and accuracy checked by confirming that the barcode scanned is correct for the item mapped and is for the item they have in their hand, click Verify.
Tip: Any patient notes are displayed against the patient. Click on the note to view the full details. Patient notes are viewable throughout the picklist workflow. - A confirmation message is displayed.
- Click Confirm. The verified basket has now been removed from the Pending Picklist screen and the items can be packaged and the bag label is printed.
- Click Exit Picklist.
The system returns to the updated Pending Picklist screen. This basket is now complete and is removed from the Pending Picklist screen. - To return to ProScript Connect, click ProScript Connect.
Report a barcode error
If an error has been made in the matching of a barcode, it can be removed from the Custom Barcode Product list.
- Login to the scanning app with your Accredited access.
- In the left-hand navigation bar, click Product Manager.
- On the Product Manager screen, begin to type the drug name in the search bar or scan the pack barcode.
Tip: You can begin your search for a drug, using the first four characters of the drug name.
- Double-click to select the correct drug product and dosage.
- The product is then displayed on the Custom Barcodes screen.
- Click Report Barcode Error.
- A warning message is displayed, to confirm deletion, click Confirm. To dismiss the message and not report, click Cancel.
- A notification message is displayed, asking for you to select the reporting method.
- Select the required report method.
- A second notification message is displayed. To confirm you wish to report the issue, click Report.
A confirmation message is displayed: report has been received. - Click Exit Product Manager.
KB5002993