Paediatric prescribing practice and opinions of paediatric prescribers on ePrescribing

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide an initial insight into current UK paediatric prescribing practice.

Methods: In 2012 focus groups were conducted at Birmingham Children's Hospital (UK specialist hospital) with both medical and non-medical prescribers and analysed using thematic analysis.

Key findings: Both sets of prescribers used a wide range of resources to support their prescribing decisions. Dosing information was most commonly checked, and a lack of specialist paediatric information was reported in existing resources. All groups had high expectations of the support functions that should be included in an electronic prescribing system and could see many potential benefits. Participants agreed that all staff should see the same drug alerts. The overwhelming concern was whether the current information technology infrastructure would support electronic prescribing.

Conclusions: Prescribers had high expectations of electronic prescribing, but lacked confidence in its delivery. Prescribers use a wide range of resources to support their decision making when prescribing in paediatrics.