On behalf of DHSC we can announce that, to further mitigate cash flow issues that contractors are facing due to COVID-19, a total uplift of £50 million across all contractors will be made to contractors’ ‘advance payments’ on 1 June. The calculation of the uplift for an individual pharmacy contractor is equal to the percentage uplift when £50 million is added to the total of April’s advance payments (calculated as per usual arrangement). Based on this formula the uplift for each contractor came out at 6.71% on top of their April’s advance payment*.
Pharmacy contractors should note that this uplift will not show on their schedule of payment but the NHSBSA will be sending a letter to each contractor outlining their uplift.
This uplift similarly to the £300 million uplift made in previous months is not additional funding over and above what was agreed for 2020/21 under the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework 5-year deal. The uplift will be reconciled in 2020/21. However, the mechanism and the time period over which reconciliation will take place has not yet been agreed with the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC).
*different arrangements will apply for pharmacies opening in May. Pharmacies, which closed in May, will not receive this uplift.