Innovation in Healthcare: CLEO Systems

Enhanced pharmacist experience on the NHS England initiative

University of Manchester and ICF International have published a report on the NHS England’s Pathfinder Independent Pharmacist Prescriber programme, which highlights that pharmacists who participated found a significant increase in job satisfaction. 

“This report reinforces what we believe deeply: when clinicians are empowered with the right digital tools and the right governance, their ability to deliver care is transformed. The Pathfinder programme has shown that independent prescribing in community pharmacy is not only viable, but pivotal to a modern, resilient NHS,” said David Brown, managing director at CLEO Systems. 

The aim of the Pathfinder programme was to develop a framework for independent prescribing for patients in primary care, anticipating the situation in September, when all newly qualified pharmacists will be registered as independent prescribers. It is the first programme to fund community pharmacy to prescribe for NHS services. 

Since 2024, the team at CLEO Systems has worked with NHS England to roll out CLEO EPS – a stand-alone electronic prescribing solution across community pharmacies in England, enabling pharmacists in the community to prescribe for minor illnesses, long-term conditions and novel illnesses. 

Around 190 pharmacies across England are live and using CLEO to prescribe for patients.