October 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 (16/10/2023) announced the following initial list of price concessions for October 2023:

Drug
Pack Size
Price concession

Amisulpride 100mg tablets
60
£18.00

Atorvastatin 10mg tablets
28
£1.30

Atorvastatin 20mg tablets
28
£1.39

Atorvastatin 40mg tablets
28
£2.25

Carbocisteine 250mg/5ml oral solution
300
£7.42

Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment
4
£4.89

Cinacalcet 30mg tablets
28
£7.25

Co-amoxiclav 500mg/125mg tablets
21
£4.39

Doxycycline 100mg capsules
8
£1.05

Eplerenone 25mg tablets
28
£11.12

Eplerenone 50mg tablets
28
£5.58

Etoricoxib 60mg tablets
28
£2.20

Flecainide 100mg tablets
60
£3.04

Isotretinoin 20mg capsules
30
£11.27

Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free
300
£10.41

Metoprolol 50mg tablets
28
£2.20

Mometasone 0.1% ointment
30
£4.11

Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
250
£9.60

Pantoprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets
28
£2.89

Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets
28
£7.40

Rasagiline 1mg tablets
28
£15.74

Risperidone 1mg/ml oral solution sugar free
100
£3.15

Risperidone 500microgram tablets
20
£3.05

Ropinirole 250microgram tablets
12
£3.94

Rosuvastatin 10mg tablets
28
£0.95

Rosuvastatin 20mg tablets
28
£3.09

Rosuvastatin 40mg tablets
28
£1.65

Topiramate 100mg tablets
60
£10.63

Warfarin 1mg tablets
28
£0.92

Zolmitriptan 2.5mg orodispersible tablets sugar free
6
£20.24

For the full list of price concessions granted so far for October 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.