Following discussions between Community Pharmacy England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) regarding medicine pricing issues reported by pharmacy owners (our members), the Department has today (13/07/2023) announced the following initial list of price concessions for July 2023:
Drug
Pack size
Price concession
Amisulpride 100mg tablets
60
£18.15
Atorvastatin 10mg tablets
28
£1.65
Bisacodyl 5mg gastro-resistant tablets
60
£4.50
Brimonidine 0.2% eye drops
5
£3.44
Brinzolamide 10mg/ml eye drops
5
£4.68
Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules
5
£8.58
Isotretinoin 20mg capsules
30
£11.50
Ivabradine 2.5mg tablets
56
£46.20
Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free
300
£10.41
Omeprazole 10mg gastro-resistant capsules
28
£1.70
Perindopril erbumine 2mg tablets
30
£1.27
Perindopril erbumine 4mg tablets
30
£1.75
Perindopril erbumine 8mg tablets
30
£1.92
Phenoxymethylpenicillin 125mg/5ml oral solution
100
£9.30
Phenoxymethylpenicillin 250mg/5ml oral solution
100
£9.69
Pizotifen 1.5mg tablets
28
£1.90
Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets
50
£8.43
Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets
28
£1.98
Risperidone 500microgram tablets
20
£3.44
Spironolactone 25mg tablets
28
£1.97
Spironolactone 50mg tablets
28
£3.99
Tamsulosin 400microgram modified-release capsules
30
£1.65
Valaciclovir 500mg tablets
10
£20.59
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg orodispersible tablets sugar free
6
£20.69
Zopiclone 3.75mg tablets
28
£1.89
Zopiclone 7.5mg tablets
28
£1.75

For the full list of price concessions granted so far for July 2023, 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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