December 2016 CPN

CPN

Community Pharmacy News – December 2016

Getting ready for change Resources, guidance and webinars now available on Quality Payments and other elements of the community pharmacy imposition

Essential EPS Checklist | PSNC Communications Survey | Drug Tari Watch

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Service specification for NUMSAS published PSNC issues advice for contractors and hosts webinar as service specification for NHS Urgent Medicine Supply Advanced Service (NUMSAS) goes live.

The service specification for the NHS Urgent Medicine Supply Advanced Service pilot (NUMSAS) was published by NHS England on 29th November 2016.

The pilot service, which was announced as part of the Department of Health’s (DH) imposition of a two-year funding package on community pharmacy, is being commissioned as an Advanced Service. Funding from the Pharmacy Integration Fund is being used to test and evaluate the service in order to inform possible future commissioning, i.e. the funding for the service is not from the main Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) funding.

The service specification sets out information about provision of the service, including the funding for the service. NHS England also intend to publish guidance on the service in December; PSNC will notify contractors through our website and email news when this is published.

What this means for contractors Publication of the service specification means that contractors now have further information on the service and its funding to

This month PSNC has produced a range of resources on the imposition of funding and other changes. These include on-demand versions of webinars covering the Pharmacy Access scheme, Quality Payments and the NUMSAS. A number of resources to explain how the Quality Payments scheme will work and to assist community pharmacy contractors to engage successfully with it are also available. These include briefings, a suggested plan for contractors, record sheets and FAQs. Visit psnc.org.uk/pharmacychanges use in deciding whether they will sign up to provide the service; please also note the PSNC advice to contractors (see right).

Contractors can register their intention to provide the service on the NHS Business Services Authority website. However, most contractors will not be able to start providing the service immediately, as NHS England is rolling out the service as a phased geographical rollout; the registration process is to register contractors' intention to provide the service.

Further information on the service, links to the service specification and other documents and resources to support contractors can be found at psnc.org.uk/numsas

2 Community Pharmacy News – December 2016

During the 2016 discussions with DH and NHS England, PSNC proposed the commissioning of an emergency supply service as part of our service development and counter proposals. These proposals were for a fully funded service which would include patients referred by NHS 111 and patients that request an emergency supply in the pharmacy. We therefore support, in principle, the commissioning of emergency supply services.

In the commissioning of the service, PSNC is pleased to see recognition of how community pharmacies can help patients and the NHS, but we are disappointed that the scheme has only been commissioned as a pilot. We are also disappointed that the service will not cover patients who have been referred by other health professionals or come to pharmacies in the first instance themselves.

The NUMSAS is part of the DH imposition of changes to the CPCF and as such the service, including the funding, has not been agreed by PSNC. We have however sought to work with NHS England to ensure the service specification and requirements are, wherever possible, as manageable as possible for contractors and that the experience from similar locally commissioned services has informed the development of the service.

Further information, including PSNC’s advice on assessing the costs of provision of the service is available on the psnc website.

See: psnc.org.uk/numsas

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PSNC seeks Judicial Review of consultation on community pharmacy PSNC application for Judicial Review questions lawfulness of consultation process and raises concerns that the Department of Health failed to disclose analysis conducted using Companies House data.

PSNC is seeking a Judicial Review of the Secretary of State’s October decision to implement cuts to community pharmacy funding and other changes.

“PSNC’s role is to represent community pharmacy contractors. We have always sought to do this by working positively with the NHS to ensure that community pharmacies can do their best to meet the needs of the NHS, patients and local communities, and that the NHS recognises and acknowledges the value they provide.

PSNC has sought permission from the High Court to apply for the Judicial Review on the grounds that it believes the Secretary of State failed to carry out a lawful consultation on the proposals for community pharmacy.

PSNC has spent the past twelve months trying to work constructively with the Department of Health and NHS England to enable community pharmacy to help the NHS to meet the increasing challenges that it faces. We have sought to avoid taking legal action and very much regret that the process the NHS has followed has made this impossible.”

An ‘expedited hearing’ has been requested, so that if permission to seek Judicial Review is granted, the hearing will take place as soon as practicable.

PSNC accepts the need for the NHS to achieve efficiencies within the community pharmacy sector and is not challenging this principle, but it does not believe that the consultation process on the proposals that are now being implemented complied with the requirements of a lawful consultation.

PSNC Chief Executive Sue Sharpe

• The validity of the DH analysis including the sample size and the use of accounting returns, rather than economic returns, as the basis for the assessment of pharmacies’ economic viability and how they might be affected by the changes.

• The DH’s failure to analyse what the levels of pharmacy closures may be.

PSNC believes that the Department of Health (DH) has used poor data which it did not disclose as a basis for its decision, rather than updating existing high quality data.

PSNC’s application raises a number of concerns about the consultation, including: • The DH’s failure to disclose the fact that it had carried out an analysis of pharmacies’ profitability based on Companies House data as part of its Impact Assessment.

• The delay in providing this analysis to PSNC after the publication of the Impact Assessment.

PSNC has been taking legal and other expert advice since the letter of December 17th 2015 and in recent weeks working closely with other pharmacy organisations also exploring legal options. The National Pharmacy Association is named as an interested party in PSNC’s application.

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Electronic Repeat Dispensing awareness campaign New resources and promotional materials from NHS Digital designed to help increase uptake of electronic Repeat Dispensing.

Alastair Buxton, Director of NHS Services at PSNC said: “eRD obviously brings benefits to patients and GP practice, but pharmacy contractors have also found it improves efficiency within the dispensary. As contractors look for additional operational efficiencies in advance of the funding cuts which have been imposed by the Department of Health, they may want to consider using the campaign materials to encourage patients and GPs to adopt widespread use of eRD.”

NHS Digital has developed a series of materials to boost the usage of electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD) as part of a newly launched awareness campaign.

The campaign, which aims to increase the use of eRD, will run from November 2016 with media activity until March 2017.

PSNC is encouraging pharmacy teams to support the NHS Digital campaign and to make use of the resources which include: • webinar (see box); • eRD e-learning – targeted at GP practice staff and pharmacy teams; • an online toolkit containing guides, a patient leaflet, template PowerPoint presentation, and briefing – for use by GP practices, pharmacy teams, Local Pharmaceutical Committees and Clinical Commissioning Groups; • regionally based training/awareness sessions – for GP practices and pharmacy teams; and • a social media campaign – use #eRD

eRD webinar: watch on-demand An eRD webinar was held in November and NHS Digital has now made a version available to watch on-demand. The webinar discusses the benefits of eRD, how eRD works, developing a local eRD strategy, and identifying suitable patients. It is aimed at community pharmacy teams, as well as prescribers, practice managers, practice pharmacists, prescription administrative teams, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Medicine Management teams. Watch the webinar now at: tinyurl.com/eRDguidance

Pharmacy Access Scheme applications for review Community pharmacy contractors may be aware that a review process has been included in the Pharmacy Access Scheme (PhAS) to allow for consideration of extenuating circumstances which may mean that access is not being protected in the way intended by the scheme. NHS England has now published the application for review documents.

Applications for reviews can be made on the grounds of inaccuracy, physical feature anomaly and/or “near miss” pharmacies in areas of high deprivation. NHS England are now accepting applications for review, but please note they must be made within three months of the start of the scheme (1st December 2016).

Completed applications for review accompanied by appropriate supportive evidence should be sent to england.phasreviews@nhs.net Please visit psnc.org.uk/PhAS for further information, and you may find it useful to watch our recent webinar on the topic: psnc.org.uk/PhASwebinar

4 Community Pharmacy News – December 2016

Regulatory changes On 5th December 2016, amendments to the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 come into force to implement changes to the 2016/17 Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF).

Community pharmacy teams are advised to familiarise themselves with the following changes: Pharmacy consolidations (mergers) NHS pharmacy businesses may apply to consolidate the pharmaceutical services provided on two or more sites onto a single site (i.e. to merge multiple businesses into one). Such consolidations could require a change in the ownership of one of the businesses in question and a process will be in place to facilitate such consolidations. Find out more at: psnc.org.uk/mergers Supplementary prescribers Pharmacy contractors can now dispense against NHS prescriptions issued by therapeutic radiographer independent prescribers and dietitian supplementary prescribers.

For all the latest news on regulations and other matters, visit psnc.org.uk

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The Essential EPS Checklist: Part 2 of 2 Share this checklist with your pharmacy team and complete it together to ensure the whole team is getting the most out of EPS Release 2. Part 1 was included within last month’s CPN, and is also available online: psnc.org.uk/epslist1 Work regularly with GPs • Use the engagement checklist regularly to work effectively with local GP practices (see psnc.org.uk/epsmeetgp and Part 1 of this factsheet series regarding business change workshops).

• Coordinate processes: Some GP practices and pharmacies share, discuss, and refine respective specific SOPs such as: actions during outages, signing timelines at the practice versus download timings at the pharmacy, coordination regarding transmission of nonroutine clinical information to patients, and nominations.

Stationery Order dispensing tokens and backup stock: Order them using the Primary Care Support England portal (see psnc.org.uk/ordertokens). For further information on tokens: psnc.org.uk/tokens

Contingency planning • Know who to contact in the event of a problem (see psnc.org.uk/contingency).

Use the IT troubleshooting guide, and fill in contact information (see tinyurl.com/epshelp).

Also see psnc.org.uk/epsfault • Develop your contingency plan in case there is loss of internet/power/EPS. • Sign-up to receive Spine alerts so you know if there are issues with the national EPS system (see psnc.org.uk/spinealerts).

Reporting system issues and making your system work for you • Report all system problems and issues, however minor, to your supplier who may resolve some over the phone, and add other ideas to a work-plan as a future development (see psnc.org.uk/systems).

• Obtain a helpdesk reference number whenever contacting your supplier so the issue can be escalated via other routes if needed. Your supplier should escalate to NHS Digital (formerly HSCIC) where needed and obtain an NHS Digital ‘NIN’ reference for you (see psnc.org.uk/epsreport).

Prescription payment Ensure you will be properly reimbursed. Errors on prescription endorsement and claiming could cost you so ensure all relevant staff are aware that: • Exemption status and endorsements need to be applied correctly to each R2 prescription before claiming (see psnc.org.uk/epsexempt).

• Expiry occurs for prescriptions which go unclaimed for six months (180 days) after dispense date. Once expired these cannot be submitted to the Pricing Authority. Check that your system will ensure that no prescriptions can expire without prior warning (see psnc.org.uk/epsexpire).

Also see psnc.org.uk/epssubmission

Understand how to submit your electronic prescriptions • FP34C submission form totals will include the total of paper and electronic prescriptions/items (see psnc.org.uk/epssubmission).

• Dispensing tokens are submitted to the Pricing Authority, but for audit purposes only, therefore they do not require sorting – the Pricing Authority use the electronic exemption status. Only those tokens relating to exemption for a reason other than age, and those paid are required to be sent (see psnc.org.uk/epstotals).

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Learning disabilities: distance learning programme Look out in early 2017 for materials from the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) to help you respond to people with a learning disability.

Increasingly, people with a learning disability will be living in the community and being seen in “mainstream NHS services. People with a learning disability will sometimes need hospital care, but hospitals are not where they should live.

We are delighted to announce the launch of our latest distance learning programme – Learning disabilities.

Emma Anderson Programme developer and tutor, CPPE

This programme has been designed to enable those working in the community to respond more effectively to the needs of people with a learning disability, their carers and support workers. It considers the action that those working in mainstream services can take to support this key element of NHS care, while helping people with a learning disability to optimise their medicines and improve their health outcomes.

Learning disabilities will also enable you to demonstrate patient-centred consultation skills and behaviours to meet the needs of people with a learning disability and promote physical health and wellbeing. The extensive, updated programme will form a key part of our next learning campaign in early 2017, so keep an eye out for your copy arriving in the post.

“

In the meantime, you can download a copy of the distance learning programme now at www.cppe.ac.uk.

NMS support from CPPE A new CPPE guide containing general information about the New Medicine Service (NMS) to support pharmacists in providing a high-quality service, as well as signposting to other relevant resources, has been launched.

Pharmacists may wish to consider completing this learning and the

accompanying assessment to meet the necessary skills and knowledge required when making a declaration on the NMS self-assessment form.

The guide is divided into four parts: 1. why the NMS was introduced; 2. what the NMS is and the different

stages of providing the NMS; 3. preparing yourself and your pharmacy to provide the NMS; and 4. providing a high-quality NMS and what else you need to do.

Access the guidance at: dld.bz/fgFAW

Charity Focus: Parkinson’s UK Parkinson’s UK is a charity specifically focussed on driving better care, treatment and quality of life for anyone affected by Parkinson’s disease – patients, carers and family, and health and social care professionals.

Parkinson’s UK has a number of resources that pharmacy teams can display in their pharmacies or signpost patients to on the Parkinson’s UK website such as: • A quick introduction to Parkinson’s leaflet (available in different languages); • Parkinson’s information and support leaflet; • Drug treatments for Parkinson’s booklet; • Parkinson’s alert card – pocket sized information about Parkinson’s which patients can carry in case of emergencies or when having difficulties with movement or communication; and

6 Community Pharmacy News – December 2016

• Get it on time washbag – a bag for patients to take into hospital that contains useful information.

These resources, as well as many more, are all available to order free of charge by post, phone or email.

Additionally, the charity has a dedicated section on their website, UK Parkinson’s Excellence Network, aimed at health and social care professionals who work with people affected by Parkinson’s. It contains resources, education and training opportunities, as well as the latest news for professionals. You can sign up to the Excellence Network newsletter to be kept up to date on all the latest news, training, resources and events.

You can read the full article on what Parkinson’s UK has to offer both patients and healthcare professionals at: ow.ly/Vxg1306bYvf

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PSNC Communications Survey 2016 PSNC is always working to improve the information and resources it provides. To help us with this work, we would be grateful if you can complete a short survey. You can return this survey to: Communications Survey, PSNC, Times House, 5 Bravingtons Walk, London N1 9AW or take part online at: psnc.org.uk/CommsSurvey 1. Please state your job title

7. How regularly would you like to receive emails from PSNC? (select one only)

General communications

As soon as something is published on the website (even if that means receiving several emails in one day)

2. How useful do you find these PSNC communications?

No more than once a day

Not Very very useful Useful useful

Wasn’t aware of this

No use

PSNC website

No more than once a week No more than once a month More frequently for urgent news; less frequently for other news

8. Do you or would you share PSNC emails with anyone? (e.g. branch managers, dispensers, other team members) No Yes If yes, please state who:

PSNC Briefings (available on the website database) PSNC News Alerts (email sent when PSNC has urgent news) RSS Feeds @PSNCNews on Twitter PSNC page on LinkedIn PSNC page on Facebook Community Pharmacy News (CPN) magazine

Digital communications

PSNC Dispensing & Supply Team (via phone or email)

9. Do you use any of the following in a work capacity? (please tick all that apply)

3. Do you read the paper or online copies of Community Pharmacy News?

4. How would you prefer to access Community Pharmacy News?

Paper

Both

Paper

Online

Neither

Online

Both

Twitter

LinkedIn

Facebook

10. Would you be interested in receiving more of any of the following digital communications from PSNC? (please tick all that apply) Webinars/ videos Twitter updates LinkedIn updates

PSNC website 5. Which of the following features do you find the most useful?

Not Very very useful Useful useful

No use

Wasn’t aware of this

Main navigation drop-down menus RSS Feeds

Facebook updates I think the current amount is sufficient

11. What sort of information would you like to receive via these channels? (please tick all that apply) Drug Tariff updates Guidance on new services or changes to existing ones

Slides (large images with links) on the homepage

Reminders about upcoming changes to legislation relating to pharmacy

Latest news scrolling bar across the homepage

More about what’s happening elsewhere in the NHS (e.g. GP practices and hospitals)

Shortlinks (e.g. psnc.org.uk/ncso) ‘Quick links’ menu Search box Link seen in a PSNC email Link seen on Twitter

6. Do you find the style of PSNC emails easy to read and understand?

Please explain why...

Yes No

Highlighting work pharmacy teams and/or LPCs are doing around the country Information about what PSNC is working on

12. Do you have any other comments or views on PSNC’s digital or other communications?

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New report into UK attitudes to self-care PAGB report finds almost half of people would not visit their pharmacist in the first instance for advice on self-treatable conditions.

34%

92%

visited a GP for a selftreatable condition in the past 12 months

agree it is important to take more responsibility for their own health

47%

wouldn’t visit a pharmacist first for advice on common conditions

The Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) has published a report, Self Care Nation, giving new insight into people’s attitudes to self-care and how this influences their behaviour.

The report shows that most people who participated in the research (92%) think it is important to take responsibility for their own health to ease the burden on the NHS. However, more than one third of people visit their GP for conditions they could treat at home and almost half of people would not visit their local pharmacist in the first instance for advice about a selftreatable condition.

The report shows that a lack of awareness of the skills and expertise of pharmacists is the main barrier preventing people from visiting the pharmacy first for advice or medicines for selftreatable conditions and the PAGB is calling for more to be done to educate people about pharmacy and raise awareness of the expertise of pharmacy.

9%

use the wider services community pharmacies offer Alastair Buxton, Director of NHS Services at PSNC said: “This timely research really brings home the reality that the NHS is still not making the most of community pharmacy to help people to care for themselves. In an NHS under immense pressure it is simply not sustainable for thousands of people to be visiting their GP for conditions they could treat at home, or for many more to be using services other than community pharmacy as a first port of call.

Community pharmacy is ideally placed to help people to care for themselves and we hope that commissioners will take note of this useful research and consider the ways in which they can encourage that. Community pharmacy minor ailments services, for example, can do a great deal to encourage patients to visit pharmacies first when they have minor conditions, supporting self-care and easing pressure on GPs and other health services.”

For more information and to read the report, visit: dld.bz/fgGjF

Pharmacy sore throat service proposed Community pharmacy contractors may have seen media reports last month of plans to introduce a new ‘Sore Throat Test’ service in community pharmacies. NHS England has since released further details about the inclusion of the community pharmacy service in the NHS Innovation Accelerator programme.

A Boots Sore Throat Test and Treat trial service has become one of eight health innovations selected to join the NHS Innovation Accelerator programme. The programme is run by NHS England and the Academic Health Science Networks and aims to help proven innovations to be adopted across the NHS. The service has been selected following the success of a Boots pilot service in which patients with sore throats were tested using throat swabs to determine their need for antibiotics. Of 367 patients who received the service, two-thirds were prevented from making a GP appointment as they didn’t require antibiotics. It has been estimated that 800,000 GP consultations could be saved if this service was available nationally.

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“Whilst we welcome the news that NHS England has recognised community pharmacy as a key member of the primary care team that can help reduce pressure on GP practices, this announcement seems to run contrary to the DH funding cut which will adversely affect the ability of pharmacies to provide patient care.

It should also be noted that no central funding is being made available to commission this service and its adoption will be subject to local decisions made by CCGs.” Alastair Buxton, PSNC Director of NHS Services

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Pharmacy notice board In this section of Community Pharmacy News we have highlighted some key notices for you and your team to be aware of in the coming weeks and months.

Ask PSNC: Flu FAQs

If you have a query on the Flu Vaccination Service, please take a look at our updated FAQ library to see if it has been answered by our Services Team. The latest additions cover topics such as the patient questionnaire, unwell patients and contingency arrangements. Read all our Flu FAQs at: psnc.org.uk/flufaqs

Recordings from Pharmacy Show 2016 Recordings and slides of all the presentations from Pharmacy Show 2016 are now available on the Pharmacy Show website.

A number of LPC Chief Officers and other colleagues presented on locally commissioned services in the PSNChosted Services Innovation Theatre, which showcased presentations on innovations in this area.

The presentations are available from: www.thepharmacyshow.co.uk/conference-streams/ 2016-presentations

NHS Standard Contract 2017/18

NHS England have now published the following documents which may be of interest:

NHS Standard Contract 2017/18; Technical Guidance for NHS Standard Contract; NHS shorter-form Contract 2017/18;

User Guide for the shorter-form contract; and Template Service Development and Improvement Plan.

Find out more at: www.england.nhs.uk/nhs-standard-contract/17-18/

Reminder: PSNC Newsletters

Keep up to date with all the latest community pharmacy news by signing up to our ils of the latest email newsletters. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll send deta from our website news, guidance and resources psnc.org.uk/email at: up directly to your inbox. Sign

All details correct at time of printing.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of PSNC. Produced for PSNC by Communications International Group.

Colour repro and printing by Truprint Media, Margate.

The publishers accept no responsibility for any statement made in signed contributions or in those reproduced from any other source.

Problems obtaining a medicine or appliance?

Pharmacy teams who experience probl ems in obtaining medicines (generic or branded) or appliances are reminded to feed this back to the PSNC Dispensing and Supply Team to support PSNCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing representation of issues in the supply chain.

PSNC passes a monthly summary of the feedback received to the Department of Health to support their monitoring of the situat ion. This information is also used as an evidence base in discussions with manufacturers on manufacturer-specific problems, for example highlighting problems with contingency arrangements and promoting solutions.

Please make sure you let us know about any supply issues by using our online feedback forms at psnc.org.uk/feedback

Distributed for PSNC by:

Communications International Group Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London W1B 5TB Tel: 020 7434 1530 Fax: 020 7437 0915

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LPC’s meet to discuss imposition and the future At the annual LPC Conference held in London in November, the focus was on the funding imposition and how LPC’s will take forward local engagement.

On Wednesday 2nd November, LPC representatives from across England met for the 2016 annual conference, with the Government’s recent decision to impose a two-year funding package on the community pharmacy sector topping the agenda for the day’s discussions.

Over 160 representatives from 69 LPCs attended the national conference and the feeling amongst delegates was one of betrayal by the Department of Health’s apparent disregard of the value of community pharmacy services and its dismissal of the deep concerns of patients who rely on the care provided by community pharmacy teams.

Delegates conveyed a strong message that LPCs across the country have no confidence in NHS England’s ability to engage with the sector. They unanimously supported a motion stating that there is insufficient expertise within NHS England regarding community pharmacy and a lack of recognition of the work that the community pharmacy sector does and the positive impact it has. This has resulted in a dangerous and damaging imposition decision.

During his address to the conference, pharmacy minister David Mowat MP spoke of his intention to move community pharmacy into a future shaped around services, many of which will be commissioned locally, but he acknowledged that some CCGs are

easier to work with than others and that this can be a fundamental block to commissioning.

The minister’s recognition of the barriers to community pharmacy’s full integration into the wider primary care team was discussed by delegates later in the day and LPCs were clear that these barriers could be tackled by CCGs. LPCs will be stepping up their efforts to work with CCGs and PSNC is enhancing its support to LPCs, to help them with this challenge.

Discussions from this year’s LPC Conference were fed into PSNC’s planning for 2017.

Public health role in spotlight Public Health England (PHE) and the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), with support from the Pharmacy and Public Health Forum, have published a joint report, which identifies several opportunities and challenges for community pharmacy teams to further support the public’s health.

The report, Building Capacity, which is based on research conducted in early 2016, identifies that there is a clear appetite among pharmacy teams to support the public’s health further, almost three-quarters (74.2%) of pharmacy team respondents said that the sector is under-utilised, and points to some challenges the sector is facing.

PHE and RSPH make several recommendations in the report aimed at increasing collaboration and the profile of pharmacy, particularly around the commissioning process. These include: • commissioners to recognise pharmacy as a local health asset, enhancing their understanding of the profession through increased pharmacy visits and greater engagement with the local pharmacy leadership; • for every community pharmacy to have at least one health champion and where lack of staff or affordability is an issue, for pharmacies to consider alternative training options; and • greater joint working between community pharmacy teams and GPs, including improved communication channels, joint meetings and increased integration between the two professions.

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“This report demonstrates that the community pharmacy sector has a strong desire to support the public’s health, but disappointingly commissioners are still not making the most of the opportunity offered by the sector. It is good to see PHE and RSPH recognise the value of community pharmacy and that they want to see commissioners also access the untapped resource of community pharmacy; we hope they will actively play a part in making this happen. We hope that commissioners will read this report and reflect on what else they could do, working closely with LPCs and community pharmacy teams, to help achieve their local public health goals.”

Alastair Buxton, Director of NHS Services at PSNC

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Ask PSNC The PSNC Dispensing and Supply Team can provide pharmacy teams with support and advice on a range of topics related to the Drug Tariff and reimbursement. Questions asked in recent months have included: A. Yes. An apprenticeship does not count as full-time education so therefore exemption status would depend on the patient’s age or if they are exempt for another reason.

Q. A patient has informed me that they are doing an apprenticeship. Do they pay prescription charge?

Q. What should I do with COCs/COAs for prescriptions from other parts of the UK?

A. For prescriptions for unlicensed specials and imports not in Part VIIIB originating from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, the COCs and COAs should be retained for audit purposes but there is no requirement for them to be sent to the relevant health bodies.

Q. I have received a prescription for an unlicensed special medicine listed in Part VIIIB of the Drug Tariff. The prescriber has requested that I obtain this product from a specific manufacturer. Will I be reimbursed for obtaining the specific manufacturer’s product, or will I only be reimbursed the Drug Tariff Part VIIIB price?

A. Where there is an indication that the Part VIIIB item has been supplied, you will be reimbursed the Part VIIIB price. If, however, the prescriber has specified a particular manufacturer’s name against the product on the prescription, then you will be reimbursed provided it has been endorsed appropriately.

For further information regarding unlicensed specials and imports, please see: psnc.org.uk/endorsing-specials

Look out for more frequently asked questions next month…

If you would like more information on any of the topics covered, the PSNC Dispensing and Supply Team will be happy to help (0844 381 4180 or 0203 1220 810 or e-mail info@psnc.org.uk).

Can it be dispensed on an FP10?

When pharmacy teams receive NHS prescriptions, they must check whether the items prescribed are allowed on the NHS before dispensing otherwise the pharmacy contractor may not be paid for them. Below is a list of some products that we have recently received queries about.

Product

Is the item listed in the Drug Tariff?

Is it Does it in the have a ‘CE’ blacklist?* mark?

Can it be dispensed on an FP10?

Additional information

Tena incontinence pad 40cm x 60cm

No

n/a

Yes

No

This item is a medical device (CE marked) and is not listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff.

Sterimar isotonic spray

Yes

n/a

Yes

Yes

This item is a medical device (CE marked) and appears in Part IX of the Drug Tariff.

Neo-G closed knee support

No

n/a

Yes

No

This item is a medical device (CE marked) and is not listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff.

Optrex Actimist 2 in 1 eye spray

No

n/a

Yes

No

This item is a medical device (CE marked) and is not listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff.

Bio-Quinone Q10 GOLD 100mg capsules

No

No

No

Yes

This item is not a medical device (CE marked) and does not appear in Part XVIIIA of the Drug Tariff.

*n/a is because medical devices are not listed in the blacklist.

Please note: If the prescription is an FP10CN or FP10PN (community nurse prescriber), an FP10D (dental prescriber) or an FP10MDA (instalment dispensing), please visit psnc.org.uk/prescriptionforms for more information.

psnc.org.uk 11

Dispensing anD supply

services anD commissioning

Drug Tariff Watch

the healthcare lanDscape

KEY: SC Special container R Item requiring reconstitution * This pack only (others already available)

The Preface lists additions, deletions and alterations to the Drug Tariff. Below is a quick summary of the changes due to take place from 1st January 2017. You may also wish to see our Dispensing Factsheet: The Drug Tariff Preface at: psnc.org.uk/dtresources Part VIIIA additions Category A Additions: • Fluoxetine 10mg capsules (30) • Fluoxetine 30mg capsules (30) • Fluoxetine 40mg capsules (30) Category C Additions: • Chlorpromazine 25mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) – AAH Pharmaceuticals Ltd • Empagliflozin 12.5mg / Metformin 1g tablets (56) – Synjardy • Empagliflozin 12.5mg / Metformin 850mg tablets (56) – Synjardy • Empagliflozin 5mg / Metformin 1g tablets (56) – Synjardy • Empagliflozin 5mg / Metformin 850mg tablets (56) – Synjardy • Leflunomide 15mg tablets SC (30) – Medac UK • Macrogol compound half-strength oral powder sachets NPF sugar free (30) – Movicol Paediatric • Mesalazine 4g modified-release granules sachets sugar free (30) – Pentasa • Salbutamol 2.5mg/2.5ml / Ipratropium bromide 500micrograms/2.5ml nebuliser liquid ampoules (60) – Salipraneb • Trientine dihydrochloride 300mg capsules SC (100) – Univar Ltd Part VIIIA amendments • Ampicillin 250mg capsules (28) is changing to Category C – Essential Generics Ltd • Fludroxycortide 4micrograms/square cm tape 7.5cm SC (20cm) Category C – Haelan is changing to Category A • Lofepramine 70mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free (150ml) Category C – Lomont is changing to Category A • Nicardipine 30mg capsules (56) is changing to Category C – Cardene • Procyclidine 2.5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) Category C – Arpicolin is changing to Category A

• Procyclidine 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) Category C – Arpicolin is changing to Category A • Propranolol 10mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) Category C – Syprol is changing to Category A • Propranolol 40mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) Category C – Syprol is changing to Category A • Propranolol 50mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) Category C – Syprol is changing to Category A • Propranolol 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) Category C – Syprol is changing to Category A • Sulpiride 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) Category C – Sulpor is changing to Category A • Verapamil 40mg/5ml oral solution sugar free (150ml) Category C – Zolvera is changing to Category A Part VIIIA deletions If a medicinal product has been removed from Part VIIIA and has no other pack sizes listed, it can continue to be dispensed as long as the product does not appear in Part XVIIIA (the ‘Blacklist’)–but it will need to be endorsed fully (i.e. brand or supplier name from whom the product was purchased and the pack size from which the item was dispensed).

• *Fludroxycortide 4micrograms/square cm tape 7.5cm SC (50cm) – Haelan Part IX deletions It is important to take careful note of removals from Part IX because if you dispense a deleted product, prescriptions will be returned as disallowed and therefore payment will not be made for dispensing the item.

Product

Size and type

Allevyn Compression dressing

Rectangular: 5cm x 6cm, 15cm x 20cm

EPS token submission A reminder to contractors regarding the submission of EPS tokens. When sending EPS tokens for the 5th of the following month, contractors should be sending all chargeable tokens and non-age related tokens only. The NHS BSA do not require age exempt EPS tokens. The D.O.B. on the prescription is contained in the EPS message and so is automatically checked to determine if a prescription charge should be deducted. Therefore, submission of the age exempt token is not necessary.

For further information, please see psnc.org.uk/epstokensubmission.

PSNC website For up to date information and news on community pharmacy issues, visit the PSNC website at psnc.org.uk PSNC Community Pharmacy News is published by: The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, Times House, 5 Bravingtons Walk, London N1 9AW Community Pharmacy News is edited by: Melinda Mabbutt who can be contacted at the above address or by email at: mmabbutt@psnc.org.uk PSNC Office: 0844 381 4180 or 0203 122 0810

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