Planning for cutover

Breather slots

Add 'breather' slots in clinicians' rotas for the first few days post go live. This will allow extra time for input into the new system. 

Rotas

If your new system supports it, build rotas on the test system before cutover. Export and import them into the live system. 

Limit bookings

Limit future bookings to 2 weeks in advance and transfer them to the new system post go live. 

Reschedule clinics

If possible, avoid data rich chronic disease clinic appointments in the cutover period. 

Continue entering consultations in the current system. Post go live manually transfer them to the new system. 

The practice should have access to the old system for 90 days after go live. If you don't have access or you still have data to enter, you may need to print anything remaining from the old system. 

Record all requested home visits and consultations in the current system. These will need to be manually re-entered into the new system. 

If the current system has a limited mobile service, record details of home visits to enter later. This will make data re-entry more efficient after go live.

Note all patient phone calls that need updates to the patient record. 

Include key information such as: patient name, date of birth and date of the call. 

Ensure clinicians keep a log of any ad hoc calls that result in record updates. 

To minimise missed information, set up a rota in the current system to track all calls made. 

Avoid using the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) during the cutover period. 

The prescribing system issues and signs repeat prescriptions in the EPS. They are then sent one by one to the Spine as needed for the patient. 

After go live, cancel and re-issue outstanding repeat prescriptions on the Spine.

Avoid future dating EPS prescriptions during the cutover. This will prevent errors in the original system. 

Tell partner pharmacies in advance to help them prepare for the cutover. 

Run reports to identify patients likely to be affected. Those with repeat issues due during cutover are most likely to be affected. 

For patients with six monthly prescriptions, ensure the last issue is before the cutover. This means you won't need to re-issue until after go live. 

Keep a detailed record of all prescription requests made during the cutover. Batch repeat prescription requests by date order. 

Record any requests taken by phone, over the counter, or other methods and add them to the batch. 

Make staff available for more data re-entry. This includes dispensary stock (minimum/maximum/reorder levels) and formulary information. 

Reduce re-entry effort: 

Option 1:

Issue 2 prescriptions (either post-dated or with adjusted quantities). They should cover the period from a month before cutover until a week after go live.

Note: Do not post-date EPS prescriptions. 

Option 2:

Revert to issuing FP10 forms for repeat prescriptions during this period. Change the prescription method from EPS to FP10 for each patient when ordering medications. 

Tell patients and pharmacies about changes to prescription methods. This should be done as soon as possible to avoid confusion.  

Confirm registration cutoff periods with your commissioner, delivery partner and new system supplier. Ensure you have the correct contact details if this has not been organised. 

Disable online registrations during the cutover period. 

Avoid new patient registrations during the week before the cutover. This will prevent partially registered patients. 

Co-ordinate with the current system supplier to turn off GP2GP. It does not feed into the new system during migration. 

If a patient arrives during cutover, complete the paperwork. You will need to wait until after go live to register them in the new system. 

Patients can visit the practice during cutover if they need to be seen. Their registration will happen after the system goes live. 

Once the new system is live, register the patients as full GMS patients. 

Review all your pathology results and clear all inboxes. Enter them into the current system before the final data extraction day. 

Switch off links to pathology labs before the cutover starts. 

Continue requesting pathology tests as needed. 

Instruct labs to send results in paper format during the cutover. This will allow clinicians to review and act on them. 

Speak to your local provider about the backlog of pathology results. Confirm that they will be sent electronically to the new system. This will avoid manual data entry from paper copies.

After go live, the pathology labs will send through the results electronically

• Print an extra copy of any referral made during the cutover. Include the Unique Booking Reference Number (UBRN). 
• After go live, scan the referral into the new system and enter the referral code if needed. 

Learn more about the Advice and Guidance Toolkit for the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). 

Decide whether to scan during cutover for clinician access or scan after go live. 

Keep all paper documents together. This helps with scanning into the new system after cutover. 

Contact all screening services that send electronic results to the clinical system. 

Ask these services to stop sending messages before the cutover begins. 

Confirm with each service to resume sending messages only after go live. 

Please note: Bowel screening services usually do not pause during cutover. On the go live date, ensure Bowel screening services resend any messages from the cutover. 

Keep all messages received during the cutover in the generic mailbox. After go live, transfer them into the new system. 

You could also print copies for GPs to review or have them check the mailbox for urgent matters. 

Note down 111 messages that the current system received directly. Manually enter them into the new system after go live. 

Continue receiving 'Out of hours' reports in the current system during cutover. 

Save a copy of each report to upload into the new system post go live. 

Keep a copy of any contact details for patients seen by 111 during cutover. 

Store these details in the practice email inbox. Prepare them for re-entry into the new system once it is live. 

After go live, ensure the practice gets messages sent to its email inbox. 

Use the right code to categorise the call. Ensure messages are routed correctly in the new system. 

Avoid summarisation and routine data entry during cutover. Any data entered will not transfer to the new system.