Following discussions between Community Pharmacy England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) regarding medicine pricing issues reported by pharmacy owners, the Department has today (25/08/2023) announced the following list of price concessions for August 2023. Please note we are still in discussion with DHSC on several other lines of concern. We will provide an update as soon as a decision is reached.:
Drug
Pack size
Price concession
Atorvastatin 10mg tablets
28
£2.05
Betahistine 16mg tablets
84
£8.85
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension
70
£4.10
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension
70
£5.50
Clonazepam 2mg tablets
100
£24.29
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops
5
£3.57
Eplerenone 25mg tablets
28
£11.20
Glycopyrronium bromide 200micrograms/1ml solution for injection ampoules
10
£9.93
Hydrocortisone 1% cream
15
£1.75
Hydrocortisone 1% cream
30
£3.50
Lansoprazole 30mg orodispersible tablets
28
£5.40
Mebeverine 50mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
300
£214.96
Mercaptopurine 50mg tablets
25
£9.42
Methylphenidate 10mg tablets
30
£3.08
Metoprolol 50mg tablets
28
£3.20
Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules
10
£6.19
Mometasone 0.1% cream
30
£3.70
Montelukast 10mg tablets
28
£1.50
Moxonidine 200microgram tablets
28
£5.35
Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules
84
£10.65
Pantoprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets
28
£5.50
Rosuvastatin 5mg tablets
28
£1.03
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules
30
£16.91

For the full list of price concessions granted so far for August 2023 including any rolled over from July, please visit our webpage: cpe.org.uk/priceconcessions

No additional endorsements are required for price concessions. A price concession only applies for the month it is granted; any prices agreed for concessions requested late in the month will roll over into the following month.

We encourage pharmacies to report any problems obtaining a Part VIII product at or below the stated Drug Tariff price, using the online feedback form on the Community Pharmacy England website. Please include full details of the supplier and price paid for any products sourced above the Drug Tariff price. We will investigate the extent of the problem and, if appropriate, discuss the issue with DHSC.

Please  subscribe to our mailing list to receive email updates of any price concessions.

Further information on price  concessions and FAQs about the process  involved  can be found on our website (cpe.org.uk/priceconcessions) To hear more on how the current price  concessions system operates, pharmacy teams can now access a recording of our recent webinar  here.

Improvements to the price concession system

Following significant concerns raised by pharmacies about the unsustainable level of prices imposed by  DHSC  in second half of 2022, it was agreed that an  urgent review of the price concession setting system would take place.

Since this announcement, we have sent a strong and clear message back to Government that pharmacies cannot continue to subsidise the NHS medicines bill. Following the review of the concessionary price process, a package of measures has been developed to improve the system.

One of the solutions agreed between us and DHSC is that from 1st April 2023, all products granted a concessionary price will be classified as ‘Discount Not Deducted’ for the month(s) in which they are on concession.

Furthermore, from May 2023, DHSC has implemented a process to roll over prices to the following month for any concessions requested after the 23rd of the month provided these prices were agreed with us. We are also continuing to work with DHSC on how a ‘retrospective increased payment’ my apply, when appropriate. Further information regarding this concession ‘top-up’ mechanism will be issued once details are finalised.

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