PCS retiring ATLAS eMAR: what to do before March 2027

Summary

Person Centred Software (PCS) says ATLAS eMAR will be retired by the end of March 2027, and that every ATLAS customer will move to PCS eMAR by Camascope. Whether you move with PCS or choose another system, start early. Protect your MAR history, keep your controlled drugs register continuous, plan training and confirm your pharmacy links.

What PCS has said about ATLAS

PCS says ATLAS joined PCS in May 2022 and Camascope joined PCS in June 2026. Its ATLAS page, marked "correct at 30 July 2026", says:

PCS no longer offers ATLAS to new customers.
ATLAS will be retired by the end of March 2027.
Every provider using ATLAS will move across to Camascope (PCS eMAR by Camascope) by the end of March 2027.
To move, customers sign a new Camascope Order Form, and PCS requires all team members to complete e-learning before the move.
PCS will align your Camascope pricing with your current ATLAS subscription costs.
You keep read-only access to ATLAS Central, so you can still see old records.
Some third-party connections, named as Ablyss and Standex/Carebeans, "might not be available" after the move.

If anything here differs from what your PCS account manager has told you, go with what PCS puts in writing.

What it means for your home

The timetable is shorter than it looks

Camascope's own FAQ says it can be implemented in around 8 weeks. Add time to train night staff, agree a go-live date with your pharmacy and avoid a monthly cycle change. Working back from the end of March 2027, in our view most homes will want a plan agreed by the turn of the year.

You will be signing something new

The move to Camascope needs a new Order Form. PCS's standard agreement (25 June 2026) says subscriptions renew automatically for one-year terms unless notice is given at least 90 days before the end of the term. Before you sign, check:

the start date and term on the new order form;
how it lines up with your existing PCS Care agreement;
the renewal date and notice deadline, written in your diary.

It is a good moment to review your medicines process

Any eMAR change is a chance to fix what does not work: how missed and late doses are picked up and reviewed, PRN protocols, homely remedies and stock checks. That is true whether you stay with PCS or not.

Your options

Option 1: Move to PCS eMAR by Camascope

Why it may suit you:

It is the route PCS has planned for every ATLAS home, and PCS says pricing will be aligned with your ATLAS subscription.
You keep read-only access to ATLAS Central.
If you use PCS Care, you stay with one supplier.
Camascope says it links with over 4,000 UK pharmacies, offers 24/7 support and supports PRN protocols. Its FAQ also says it supports barcode scanning for medicines and offline recording that syncs when the connection returns.
PCS is on the NHS Assured Solutions List.

What to check:

Whether any integration you rely on is affected (Ablyss, Standex/Carebeans or others).
The new order form term and notice period.
PCS's Camascope eMAR terms (8 July 2026) allow PCS to charge an administration fee of £500 plus VAT per change of pharmacy, with 30 days' written notice, unless your order form says otherwise.
Who completes PCS's required e-learning, and by when.

Option 2: Choose a different eMAR that links to your care record

Some eMAR suppliers integrate with other care records. If you want to keep your care record and change only the eMAR, ask each supplier whether it connects to your current system, what data passes each way, and who supports the link.

Option 3: Change your care record and eMAR together

If you were already reviewing your care record, a single system with eMAR built in means one login, one record and one contract. Kiwi is one example; others are listed in our buyer's guide.

Switching checklist (whichever option you choose)

Print this and tick it off. Ask for answers in writing.

1. Data export

Ask your current supplier what you can export, in what format (PDF, CSV) and how quickly.
Export current medication lists, PRN protocols, allergies and homely remedy lists for every resident.
Export or print the last full MAR cycle for every resident.
Confirm who can still log in to ATLAS Central after the move, and for how long.

2. MAR history retention

Check your records-retention policy for medication records.
Decide where historical MARs will live: read-only in ATLAS Central, as exported PDFs, or both.
Make sure the manager can find a past MAR quickly if an inspector, coroner or safeguarding team asks.

3. Controlled drugs register continuity

Pick the changeover date and time. Avoid a delivery day.
Do a witnessed stock count of every controlled drug at changeover, signed by two people.
Close the old register with those balances. Open the new one with the same balances, also witnessed.
Keep the old register, paper or electronic, in line with your policy.
Recount at the next handover. Investigate any difference straight away.

Our guide to controlled drugs in care homes goes further.

4. Training

List every person who gives medicines, including nights, bank and agency.
Book training before go-live, not on the day. If you move to Camascope, PCS requires all team members to complete e-learning before the move.
Run a practice round on test residents.
Have a senior on every shift for the first week who knows the new system well.

5. Pharmacy links

Tell your pharmacy the changeover date in writing.
Confirm how monthly orders, mid-cycle changes and new prescriptions will reach the new system.
Confirm whether the new system receives pharmacy data electronically or needs it entered by hand.
Ask who checks the first cycle against the pharmacy's list.

6. Go-live and review

Choose a start date at the beginning of a medication cycle if you can.
Run a full medication audit after two weeks. Our medication audit checklist can help.
Record what you changed and why, for your governance file.

For moving the rest of your records, see how to switch care systems without losing records.

Where Kiwi fits

Kiwi is our product. It is a care home system with eMAR built into the same record as care plans and daily logs.

What Kiwi's eMAR does:

Medication rounds and MAR charts, with a printable MAR chart PDF.
PRN protocols for each resident.
A controlled drugs register with a witness required on every dose and a running balance.
Care plans, including Health Action Plans and Person-Centred Plans, ABC charts and behaviour recording, and a Hospital Passport, all in the same system.

What Kiwi does not do:

No electronic pharmacy link. Pharmacy changes are entered in Kiwi by your team.
No barcode scanning.
No offline mode in the web app. Offline recording is coming with the Kiwi Care iPhone and iPad app (coming soon).
Not on the NHS Assured Solutions List, and no GP Connect.
Today Kiwi runs in any browser on phones, tablets and computers.

Price and terms

Kiwi: £179.95 per home per month up to 30 beds, £229.95 for 31 beds or more, as of 17 October 2026. Every module included. Free set-up. Monthly plans: cancel any time, no notice period. Annual plans renew for 12 months unless cancelled before renewal. 30-day free trial: your card is taken at sign-up, nothing is charged until day 31, and billing then starts automatically unless you cancel. Kiwi doesn't charge UK VAT (it's supplied from outside the UK); if your organisation is VAT-registered you may need to account for VAT under the reverse charge; check with your accountant.

Annual fees are not refunded part-way through a year.
Free set-up: we send you a list of what we can import for you, then load it.

If barcode scanning, offline recording, an electronic pharmacy link or NHS assurance matter most to you, staying with PCS and Camascope may suit you better. If you want eMAR and care records in one system on monthly terms, see Kiwi's eMAR or book a demo.

Frequently asked

When is ATLAS eMAR being retired?

Person Centred Software says ATLAS eMAR will be retired by the end of March 2027. Its ATLAS page, marked correct at 30 July 2026, also says PCS no longer offers ATLAS to new customers. Check PCS's ATLAS page for the latest position.

What happens to ATLAS customers?

PCS says every provider using ATLAS will move to PCS eMAR by Camascope. Customers sign a new Camascope Order Form, and PCS requires all team members to complete e-learning before the move. PCS says it will align Camascope pricing with the current ATLAS subscription costs.

Will I lose my ATLAS medication records?

PCS says you will keep read-only access to ATLAS Central. It is still sensible to export or print key records, such as the last full MAR cycle and current medication lists, and keep them in line with your retention policy.

How long does a move to Camascope take?

Camascope's FAQ says it can be implemented in around eight weeks. Allow extra time for staff training, pharmacy coordination and choosing a go-live date at the start of a medication cycle.

Do I have to move to Camascope?

PCS's plan is for ATLAS customers to move to Camascope. You can also choose a different eMAR or a different care system. Check your PCS agreement for renewal dates and notice periods before deciding.

How do I keep the controlled drugs register continuous when I switch?

Do a witnessed count of every controlled drug at changeover, close the old register with those balances and open the new one with the same balances, signed by two people. Keep the old register and recount at the next handover.

Sources (checked 17 October 2026)

Trade marks. ATLAS eMAR, Camascope, PCS and Person Centred Software are trade marks of their respective owners, named only to identify their products. Kiwi™ is not affiliated with Person Centred Software or Camascope. Facts checked 17 October 2026 from PCS's and Camascope's own pages; plans can change, so check with PCS.

ATLAS eMAR is retiring, PCS says: what care homes should do before March 2027