February 12, 2026 - 238 views
Patients at Ysbyty Gwynedd and the Hergest Unit are now benefiting from a new electronic prescribing system designed to make medicines safer, faster and more efficient for both patients and staff.
The go-live follows the successful rollout of Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (ePMA) at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and the Heddfan Unit, and marks another important milestone in the Health Board’s wider digital transformation journey.
Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (ePMA) replaces traditional paper medication charts with a secure digital system. Doctors, nurses and pharmacists can view, prescribe and administer medicines electronically, helping to reduce errors, improve communication between teams and ensure patients receive the right medication at the right time.
Tudno Ward at Ysbyty Gwynedd was one of the first wards to go live, with patient Mair Hughes among the very first to receive her medication using the new electronic system. Moving away from paper charts means her clinical team can access her medication records instantly and securely, supporting safer and more coordinated care.
Deputy Ward Manager Ffion Roberts, one of the first nurses to use the system on Tudno Ward, said the benefits were immediate.
She said: “The system will be a huge benefit for both staff and patients. It saves a lot of time — we no longer need to search for paper medication charts, and doctors don’t need to come to the ward to prescribe as they can access the system wherever they are. That means more time focused on patient care.”
The rollout at Ysbyty Gwynedd and the Hergest Unit was a significant undertaking, made more challenging by a late change to the deployment schedule. Despite this, teams across clinical services, pharmacy and digital worked closely together to ensure the system was introduced safely.
Over a three-day deployment period, more than 500 patients were successfully transferred onto the electronic system and are now live on ePMA — a major step forward in improving medicines safety, clinical oversight and continuity of care for patients across the acute hospital services and the Hergest Unit.
Charlotte Makanga, Director of Pharmacy and Medicines Management for the West Integrated Health Community, said: “It has been truly humbling to see the teamwork, support and care that came together to make this happen.
ePMA brings so many benefits and will make a real difference to our patients. I am incredibly grateful to all the teams involved, and particularly to the West Pharmacy team for their dedication, support and hard work. We will now build on this success as we support our community hospitals and colleagues in Central with their go-live.”
Preparations are already underway for the next phase of the programme with the community hospitals in Gwynedd and Anglesey scheduled to begin their ePMA go-live from 16 February 2026, while teams across the Central Integrated Health Communities are preparing for deployment on 7 March 2026.
