Western Sussex rolls out antibiotic prescribing app

The mobile app, which is being used across all the trust’s hospitals, makes it easier for clinicians to follow the trust’s guidelines on prescribing for a range of illnesses.

Previously medical staff would need to leave the bedside and go to a computer to make sure they were writing a prescription for the right drug, in the right amount.

Another advantage of the app is that guideline updates are instantly received by the users of the app, rather than being made once a year.

Such apps have recently begun to be used at a small number of teaching hospitals but Western Sussex believes its version is the first to be used outside university trusts.

It said it was also the first to use the new “second generation” version of the app that allows prescribers to download different guidelines depending on which trust they work at.

Sam Coombes, a pharmacy technician who has been heavily involved in the development of the app, said: “By embracing the smart phone revolution we have been able to support our clinicians with instant access to up to date guidelines – this is a really positive use of new technology.”