DH Agree £850,000 Compensation For Change In Prescription Pricing Division (PPD) Processing Behaviour

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 15 Nov 2007 - 4:00 PDT

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The Department of Health have approved a PSNC claim for £850,000 to help compensate pharmacy contractors who may have lost out through a change in the way that FP10MDA instalment dispensing prescriptions were processed at the PPD in late 2006. This will be paid out to contractors through a 14p increase in the Schedule 2 Controlled Drug Fee for four months from December 2007 to March 2008. The fee will return to the current level of £1.28 in April 2008.

Welcoming the announcement, Sue Sharpe, Chief Executive of PSNC stated, "A fair settlement has been agreed. The Department of Health have listened to PSNC and now recognises the impact that last year's change in the processing of instalment dispensing prescriptions by the PPD has had on some pharmacy contractors."

The NHSBSA Prescription Pricing Division has since published detailed guidance on the prescribing, dispensing and endorsement of FP10MDA Instalment Dispensing Prescriptions. This can be accessed on the PSNC Website (http://www.psnc.org.uk/controlleddrugs).

Notes:

1. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) is the body that represents community pharmacy on NHS matters and seeks to secure the best possible NHS services provided by pharmacy contractors in England and Wales.

Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee