Implementation guide for interoperable medicines

This guidance is under active development by NHS England and content may be added or updated on a regular basis.

Release Notes

Change to the implementation guidance are recorded on this page.


1.3.7-private-beta (January 2024)


1.3.6-private-beta (October 2023)


1.3.5-private-beta (August 2023)

  • Guide title changed to "Implementation guide for interoperable medicines"
  • Where possible, referenced to NHS Digital changed to NHS England
  • Broken links to external online resources fixed
  • Merge and consolidation of the Reference Architectures and Shared Record Architectures pages within the Design section

1.3.4-private-beta (July 2023)


1.3.3-private-beta (Nov 2022)

  • Value set for route codes amended to align with UKCore.
  • Guidance for use of Dosage.text amended.
  • Guidance on when timing instructions related to meals is under review...

1.3.2-private-beta (May 2022)

  • Guidance added for dosage "at least" and "up to" timing instructions, with associated guidance for translating a boundRange.low with no high as "for at least..."
  • Guidance added for dosage "up to" for timing instructions, with associated guidance for translating to text. Note a dosing (not timing) instruction of "at least" is possible with FHIR but not recommended within an implementation.
  • Infusions guidance and examples updated based on engagement with the Interoperable Medicines Working Group.
  • Section within Known Dosage Structure Limitations updated for periods of no medicines administration.
  • Guidance added for unknown clinical trial medications

1.3.1-private-beta (February 2022)


1.3.0-private-beta (November 2021)


1.2.0-private-beta (May 2021)

  • Updated Required (R) flag to be Must Support (MS) for consistency with other guides
  • Dedicated area for use-cases added
  • Additional examples added (Cedeep Laya and Chris Packet) to support use-cases
  • Updated packages to reference FHIR UK Core (R4)
  • Slight restructure of guidance for readability
  • Homepage added
  • NHS Digital Corporate branding added

1.1.0-private-beta (April 2021)

  • Added to Simplifier
  • Extended guidance on API architecture and patterns
  • Added guidance for MedicationDispense
  • Added draft guidance for MedicationStatement and remains WORK-IN-PROGRESS
  • Added draft guidance for MedicationAdministration and remains WORK-IN-PROGRESS
  • Amended guidance for Practitioner to align with the FHIR implementation of the Electronic Prescription Service for the use of professional codes as an identifier
  • Forked from the STU3 / CareConnect ePMA Implementation Guidance

1.0.0-discovery (July 2020)

  • First version published covering MedicationRequest and the referenced resources of Patient, Practitioner and Organisation
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