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 (31/10/2023) announced the following final list of price concessions for October 2023:

Drug
Pack size
Price concession

Atomoxetine 10mg capsules
28
£45.59

Amisulpride 200mg tablets
60
£31.19

Betahistine 16mg tablets
84
£9.55

Betahistine 8mg tablets
84
£3.45

Betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream
100
£4.62

Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops
3
£4.27

Carbocisteine 375mg capsules
120
£7.68

Carbomer ‘980’ 0.2% eye drops
10
£4.05

Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules
5
£5.72

Dexamfetamine 5mg tablets
28
£22.87

Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free
60
£19.05

Duloxetine 20mg gastro-resistant capsules
28
£9.45

Etoricoxib 30mg tablets
28
£1.79

Etoricoxib 90mg tablets
28
£2.14

Fludrocortisone 100microgram tablets
30
£5.85

Itraconazole 100mg capsules
15
£9.85

Ketoconazole 2% shampoo
120
£19.40

Lamotrigine 100mg tablets
56
£4.77

Lamotrigine 200mg tablets
56
£5.89

Lamotrigine 25mg tablets
56
£2.83

Letrozole 2.5mg tablets
14
£3.26

Lorazepam 500microgram tablets
28
£27.17

Memantine 10mg/ml oral solution sugar free
50
£5.49

Metformin 500mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
150
£27.51

Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules
10
£5.18

Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules
10
£5.02

Morphine sulfate 10mg/5ml oral solution
300
£5.45

Pantoprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets
28
£3.62

Paracetamol 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
200
£7.44

Paracetamol 500mg effervescent tablets
100
£7.78

Permethrin 5% cream
30
£11.50

Quetiapine 25mg tablets
60
£1.38

Riluzole 50mg tablets
56
£9.00

Ropinirole 2mg tablets
28
£18.85

Rosuvastatin 5mg tablets
28
£1.25

Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules
20
£12.25

Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment
30
£20.17

Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment
60
£37.57

Timolol 0.5% eye drops
5
£2.00

Zonisamide 100mg capsules
56
£21.95

For the full list of price concessions granted 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.

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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