How to use the search resources and how the system finds matching dispensers
The API provides two search resources:
/epsdispenser/byLocationAndTime- used when matching a resource to a patient based on the patient’s need and location/epsdispenser/byNameAndPostcode- used to locate a specific dispenser which the patient may have named
Searching by Location & Opening Hours
The most common operation will be to find a dispenser which can dispense a prescription to the patient within the timeframe dictated by the patient disposition. Patients disposition is allocated by NHS Pathways and include values like Dx85 - Repeat prescription required within 2 hours. Passing an integer number of hours to the API will ensure that all dispensers returned in results are open within at least a portion of that timeframe. Once open dispensers are identified the system orders by distance and returns the five nearest. If a maximum distance filter is included this is applied, otherwise the system will default to a maximum distance of 38km.
Search Results
Searching by Location & Time results in an array of up to five epsdispenser resources. Only relevant opening hours are included in the these responses.
Examples
$ curl - u 'eps_example:3pstest''https://eps-dos.service.nhs.uk/epsdispenser/byLocationAndTime?postcode=N1C+4AL&timeframe=24'
[{
"ods": "FJ679",
"name": "Boots",
"service_type": "eps_pharmacy",
"address": {
"line": ["Unit 2 Western Ticket Hall", "Kings Cross London Underground", "London", "Middlesex"],
"postcode": "N1C 4AL"
},
"patient_contact": {
"tel": "0207 713 9519",
"web_address": "http://www.boots.com/"
},
"prescriber_contact": {
"tel": "0207 713 9519",
"fax": "0208 713 6883"
},
"location": {
"easting": 530111.0,
"northing": 182950.0
},
"opening": {
"open_247": false,
"wed": [{
"open": "07:30",
"close": "21:30"
}],
"thu": [{
"open": "07:30",
"close": "21:30"
}]
},
"distance": 0.0
}, {
"ods": "FE513",
"name": "Boots",
"service_type": "eps_pharmacy",
"address": {
"line": ["Euston Rd", "", "London", "Middlesex"],
"postcode": "N1C 4QL"
},
"patient_contact": {
"tel": "0207 833 0216",
"web_address": "http://www.boots.com/"
},
"prescriber_contact": {
"tel": "",
"fax": ""
},
"location": {
"easting": 530076.0,
"northing": 183055.0
},
"opening": {
"open_247": false,
"wed": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "23:59"
}],
"thu": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "23:59"
}]
}
}]
Searching by Name
Patients may have a specific dispenser who they want a prescription to be sent to: searching by name allows full details of any dispenser to be selected. Complete opening hours are included in responses and so dispensers can be viewed even if currently closed.
Examples
$ curl - u 'eps_test:3psexample' 'https://eps-dos.service.nhs.uk/epsdispenser/byNameAndPostcode?postcode=N1C+4AL&name=boots'
[{
"ods": "FJ679",
"name": "Boots",
"service_type": "eps_pharmacy",
"address": {
"line": ["Unit 2 Western Ticket Hall", "Kings Cross London Underground", "London", "Middlesex"],
"postcode": "N1C 4AL"
},
"patient_contact": {
"tel": "0207 713 9519",
"web_address": "http://www.boots.com/"
},
"prescriber_contact": {
"tel": "0207 713 9519",
"fax": "0208 713 6883"
},
"location": {
"easting": 530111.0,
"northing": 182950.0
},
"opening": {
"open_247": false,
"bank_holiday": [{
"open": "10:00",
"close": "19:00"
}],
"mon": [{
"open": "07:30",
"close": "21:30"
}],
"tue": [{
"open": "07:30",
"close": "21:30"
}],
"wed": [{
"open": "07:30",
"close": "21:30"
}],
"thu": [{
"open": "07:30",
"close": "21:30"
}],
"fri": [{
"open": "07:30",
"close": "21:30"
}],
"sat": [{
"open": "08:00",
"close": "20:00"
}],
"sun": [{
"open": "09:00",
"close": "19:00"
}],
"specified_date": {
"25-12-2017": [],
"26-12-2017": []
}
},
"distance": 0.0
}, {
"ods": "FE513",
"name": "Boots",
"service_type": "eps_pharmacy",
"address": {
"line": ["Euston Rd", "", "London", "Middlesex"],
"postcode": "N1C 4QL"
},
"patient_contact": {
"tel": "0207 833 0216",
"web_address": "http://www.boots.com/"
},
"prescriber_contact": {
"tel": "",
"fax": ""
},
"location": {
"easting": 530076.0,
"northing": 183055.0
},
"opening": {
"open_247": false,
"bank_holiday": [{
"open": "09:00",
"close": "21:00"
}],
"mon": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "23:59"
}],
"tue": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "23:59"
}],
"wed": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "23:59"
}],
"thu": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "23:59"
}],
"fri": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "23:59"
}],
"sat": [{
"open": "08:00",
"close": "23:59"
}],
"sun": [{
"open": "09:00",
"close": "21:00"
}],
"specified_date": {
"25-12-2017": []
}
},
"distance": 0.1
}, {
"ods": "FFE92",
"name": "Boots",
"service_type": "eps_pharmacy",
"address": {
"line": ["Kings Cross Railway Station", "Kings Cross", "London", "Middlesex"],
"postcode": "N1C 4AP"
},
"patient_contact": {
"tel": "0207 278 5861",
"web_address": "http://www.boots.com/en/Store-Locator/Boots-London-Kings-Cross-Station/"
},
"prescriber_contact": {
"tel": "0207 278 5861",
"fax": "0208 837 4191"
},
"location": {
"easting": 530270.0,
"northing": 183166.0
},
"opening": {
"open_247": false,
"bank_holiday": [{
"open": "10:00",
"close": "19:00"
}],
"mon": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "22:00"
}],
"tue": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "22:00"
}],
"wed": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "22:00"
}],
"thu": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "22:00"
}],
"fri": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "22:00"
}],
"sat": [{
"open": "07:00",
"close": "22:00"
}],
"sun": [{
"open": "09:00",
"close": "21:00"
}],
"specified_date": {
"25-12-2017": [],
"26-12-2017": [],
"01-01-2018": [{
"open": "09:00",
"close": "19:00"
}]
}
},
"distance": 0.2
}]