Published: 14th July 2026
Important message from PSD Scotland
The following message was sent to pharmacies today, Tuesday 14th July 2026, by our colleagues at PSD Scotland. We advise that you read the communication in full and take the necessary action ahead of the deadline.
The ePharmacy root certificate is due to expire on 14 September 2026. To avoid any disruption to ePharmacy services, affected pharmacies must renew and install their replacement certificate by Tuesday 25 August 2026.
Moreover, it's important to note that without this certificate, ePharmacy messaging will not function properly. This means that you will be unable to submit claims or request prescriptions electronically. Consequently, no payment claims for electronic-only services can be processed. This situation will directly impact pharmacy reimbursement as well as overall usability.
There will also be some impact on PCR access, but it is expected to be less significant compared to the disruption in ePMS messaging. We encourage you to take the necessary steps to ensure the new certificate is installed promptly.
Please review the guidance and complete the required actions as soon as possible:
Guidance on the Pharmacy Care Record (PCR) | National Services Scotland
Please note:
Boots, Well and Rowlands – Your IT Department will manage the renewal.
Rx Web – Lanas will handle the certificates for ePMS access and messaging. However, the client certificates for PCR UA need to be installed on the local desktop and are specific to each pharmacy.
Cegedim Rx Pharmacy Manager - The central message broker will have their certificate renewed by the central Cegedim team.
Positive Solutions and Proscript - Users are required to follow their usual process and the outlined details in the PIN letter sent for certificate renewal.
Superdrug – Your PMR supplier will assist in your certificate renewal
Asda - Your PMR supplier will assist with your certificate renewal
If you need any assistance, please contact the ePharmacy Helpdesk on 0131 275 6600 or nss.psdhelp@nhs.scot.
Please note that you may also be contacted by Atos on this matter.
Thank you for your cooperation,
ePharmacy Helpdesk | PSD Scotland
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Without the replacement certificate installed, ePharmacy messaging will not function properly. This means claims cannot be submitted and prescriptions cannot be requested electronically, so no payment claims for electronic-only services can be processed. This directly affects pharmacy reimbursement, and PCR access will also be impacted, though to a lesser degree than ePMS messaging.
This depends on your system supplier. Boots, Well and Rowlands have this managed by their own IT Department. Rx Web pharmacies have ePMS certificates handled by Lanas, but PCR UA client certificates must be installed locally and are pharmacy-specific. Cegedim Rx Pharmacy Manager's central broker certificate is renewed by the central Cegedim team. Positive Solutions and Proscript users should follow their usual process and the PIN letter sent for renewal. Superdrug and Asda pharmacies will be assisted by their PMR supplier.
Full guidance is available on the Pharmacy Care Record (PCR) guidance page. For further assistance, contact the ePharmacy Helpdesk on 0131 275 6600 or email nss.psdhelp@nhs.scot. You may also be contacted directly by Atos regarding this matter.
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