Following applications made by PSNC to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), a further 34 new products have been added to the list of ‘Drugs for which Discount is Not Deducted’ (DND). From April 2022, the discount deduction scale will no longer apply to prescriptions dispensed for the following products (split into Individual Items and Group Items):
Part II (Drugs for which discount is not deducted (DND)) Additions – Individual Items
Aldara 5% cream 250mg sachets
Famvir 125mg tablets
GlucoRx Aidex Sensor
Phosphates enema (Formula B) 128ml standard tube
Sancuso 3.1mg/24hours transdermal patches
Part II (Drugs for which discount is not deducted (DND)) Additions – Group Items
(Note: DND status was retrospectively applied to the following Group Items from March 2022)
Amiodarone 50mg/5ml oral suspension
Azathioprine 50mg/5ml oral solution
Chlorothiazide 150mg/5ml oral suspension
Chlorothiazide 25mg/5ml oral suspension
Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg/5ml oral suspension
Co-careldopa 25mg/100mg/5ml oral suspension
Diazoxide 250mg/5ml oral suspension
Diazoxide 50mg/5ml oral suspension
Fludrocortisone 100micrograms/5ml oral suspension
Gabapentin 100mg/5ml oral solution
Gabapentin 100mg/5ml oral suspension
Lansoprazole 15mg/5ml oral suspension
Lansoprazole 30mg/5ml oral suspension
Lansoprazole 5mg/5ml oral suspension
Lorazepam 1mg/5ml oral solution
Lorazepam 500micrograms/5ml oral solution
Losartan 50mg/5ml oral suspension
Menadiol 5mg/5ml oral suspension
Mercaptamine 0.55% eye drops preservative free
Olanzapine 2.5mg/5ml oral suspension
Omeprazole 40mg/5ml oral suspension
Omeprazole 5mg/5ml oral suspension
Phenobarbital 25mg/5ml oral solution
Phenobarbital 25mg/5ml oral suspension
Quetiapine 25mg/5ml oral suspension
Quetiapine 50mg/5ml oral suspension
Tetrabenazine 12.5mg/5ml oral suspension
Zopiclone 3.75mg/5ml oral suspension
Zopiclone 7.5mg/5ml oral suspension
For a list of all the monthly changes to the DND status of products please see the following page Notice of changes to discount not deducted (DND) status of products. A total of 485 products have been granted DND status following checks made by PSNC within the past 20 months.
Background
The DND list is updated monthly by the DHSC and includes grouped and individual items. Individual items are separately listed in Part II of the Drug Tariff. Any items covered by the ‘Group Items’ heading are not listed again individually in Part II. Contractors can also check the Actual Medicinal Product (AMP) listing on Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d) to identify whether a product meets the DND criteria (see below).
Group items
Any products that are covered by one or more of the Group items categories below are reimbursed without any discount deduction applied.
Cold Chain Storage (ALL)
Schedule 1, 2 or 3 Controlled Drugs: Products containing drugs listed in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulation 2001
Cytotoxic or Cytostatic item (ALL):
Immunoglobulins (ALL)
Insulins for injection (ALL)
Vaccines and antisera (ALL)
Unlicensed medicines: ‘Specials’ not listed in Part VIIIB where the product has been sourced from a supplier holding a MHRA specials or importers licence (prescriptions must be endorsed with invoice price less discount/rebate)
Hazardous chemicals
Individual items
Products that do not are covered by one or more of the Group item categories above must fulfil all three of the following criteria to qualify for entry to the DND list.
the manufacturer(s), AAH and Alliance do not offer pharmacy contractors a discount
fewer than 500,000 items per year are dispensed of the product
average net ingredient cost (NIC) per item is more than £50
PSNC will continue its work to assess whether other drugs and appliances fulfil the current DND entry requirements under either the ‘Group’ and ‘Individual item’ criteria and make applications to NHSBSA and DHSC, accordingly.
If a product is currently subject to the discount deduction scale and you believe that it should be added to DND list based on the criteria specified above, please contact the PSNC Dispensing and Supply Team by emailing info@psnc.org.uk who will investigate whether the product meets the relevant DND criteria and make an application to the DHSC and NHSBSA, as appropriate.
For further information on how discount deduction works, click here.