November 2023 Price Concessions 1st Update

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 (17/11/2023) announced the following initial list of price concessions for November 2023.

Drug
Pack size
Price concession

Acamprosate 333mg gastro-resistant tablets
168
£22.76

Aciclovir 800mg tablets
35
£3.60

Amiloride 5mg tablets
28
£16.50

Amisulpride 200mg tablets
60
£30.96

Atorvastatin 10mg tablets
28
£1.17

Atorvastatin 20mg tablets
28
£1.14

Atorvastatin 40mg tablets
28
£1.75

Atorvastatin 80mg tablets
28
£4.44

Benzoyl peroxide 5% / Clindamycin 1% gel
30
£11.95

Betahistine 16mg tablets
84
£8.84

Brinzolamide 10mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops
5
£10.17

Brinzolamide 10mg/ml eye drops
5
£4.60

Bumetanide 1mg tablets
28
£2.80

Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% ointment
30
£9.57

Carvedilol 6.25mg tablets
28
£1.24

Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment
4
£4.72

Clotrimazole 1% cream
20
£1.77

Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries
1
£9.59

Co-amilozide 5mg/50mg tablets
28
£10.95

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

Codeine 30mg tablets
28
£1.08

Codeine 30mg tablets
100
£3.86

Dexamfetamine 5mg tablets
28
£22.90

Docusate 50mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
300
£18.32

Eplerenone 50mg tablets
28
£3.94

Etoricoxib 60mg tablets
28
£2.49

Flecainide 100mg tablets
60
£3.25

Haloperidol 5mg tablets
28
£3.67

Hydrocortisone 1% cream
15
£2.55

Hydrocortisone 1% cream
30
£3.45

Hydrocortisone 1% cream
50
£2.96

Hydroxocobalamin 1mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules
5
£11.96

Isotretinoin 20mg capsules
30
£11.15

Lamotrigine 100mg tablets
56
£4.48

Lamotrigine 200mg tablets
56
£6.50

Lamotrigine 25mg tablets
56
£3.26

Lamotrigine 50mg tablets
56
£4.00

Lansoprazole 30mg gastro-resistant capsules
28
£1.29

Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free
300
£10.36

Mebeverine 200mg modified-release capsules
60
£6.02

Mercaptopurine 50mg tablets
25
£9.42

Methylphenidate 10mg tablets
30
£2.99

Mometasone 0.1% ointment
30
£3.79

Mometasone 50micrograms/dose nasal spray
140
£3.50

Mycophenolate mofetil 500mg tablets
50
£7.10

Pantoprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets
28
£2.51

Paracetamol 500mg effervescent tablets
100
£8.26

Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets
28
£1.79

Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg tablets
56
£17.17

Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets
28
£7.92

Risperidone 500microgram tablets
20
£2.95

Rosuvastatin 10mg tablets
28
£1.17

Rosuvastatin 20mg tablets
28
£2.36

Rosuvastatin 40mg tablets
28
£1.65

Spironolactone 50mg tablets
28
£3.99

Terbinafine 1% cream
15
£2.96

Timolol 0.25% eye drops
5
£1.90

Warfarin 1mg tablets
28
£0.79

Warfarin 3mg tablets
28
£0.93

Warfarin 5mg tablets
28
£1.82

Zolmitriptan 2.5mg orodispersible tablets sugar free
6
£19.00

Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets
6
£16.45

Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets
12
£32.90

Zopiclone 3.75mg tablets
28
£1.57

Zopiclone 7.5mg tablets
28
£1.57

For the full list of price concessions granted so far for November 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. We are still working with the DHSC to agree concessionary prices for other drugs reported to be unavailable at the stated October Drug Tariff price. Please note that we cannot provide details of any generic products awaiting price concession approval from 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.