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 (26/01/2024) announced the following list of price concessions for January 2024:

Drug
Pack size
Price concession

Amiodarone 200mg tablets
28
£1.83

Amisulpride 100mg tablets
60
£18.21

Atorvastatin 80mg tablets
28
£3.10

Azithromycin 250mg capsules
6
£5.08

Betahistine 16mg tablets
84
£8.34

Betahistine 8mg tablets
84
£4.17

Bimatoprost 100micrograms/ml eye drops
3
£5.55

Brinzolamide 10mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops
5
£10.15

Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% ointment
30
£12.12

Clomipramine 50mg capsules
28
£8.06

Clotrimazole 1% cream
50
£4.11

Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets
100
£3.40

Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets
30
£1.32

Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets
100
£4.40

Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules
30
£7.35

Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free
60
£25.03

Duloxetine 20mg gastro-resistant capsules
28
£9.18

Duloxetine 40mg gastro-resistant capsules
56
£9.20

Estradiol 10microgram pessaries
24
£10.52

Etoricoxib 30mg tablets
28
£4.37

Glycopyrronium bromide 200micrograms/1ml solution for injection ampoules
10
£13.32

Hydrocortisone 2.5% cream
15
£46.95

Hydroxocobalamin 1mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules
5
£11.29

Isotretinoin 20mg capsules
30
£10.92

Lamotrigine 100mg tablets
56
£4.07

Lofepramine 70mg tablets
56
£16.10

Mebeverine 200mg modified-release capsules
60
£6.59

Metformin 500mg modified-release tablets
56
£1.74

Mometasone 50micrograms/dose nasal spray
140
£9.47

Montelukast 10mg tablets
28
£2.20

Montelukast 5mg chewable tablets sugar free
28
£1.19

Prednisolone 5mg soluble tablets
30
£49.65

Pregabalin 150mg capsules
56
£2.18

Quinine sulfate 300mg tablets
28
£3.95

Ropinirole 500microgram tablets
28
£15.75

Sodium fluoride 1.1% dental paste sugar free
51
£5.40

Zonisamide 100mg capsules
56
£24.75

For the full list of price concessions granted so far for January 2024, 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 Medicines Supply and Concessions Briefing 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’ may apply, where appropriate. Further information regarding this concession ‘top-up’ mechanism will be issued once details are finalised.

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