NHS trade price changes should be emailed to nhsbsa.pippa@nhs.net at least 10 working days prior to their effective date.
Price changes for ACBS (Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances) approved products, as listed in Drug Tariff Part XV, are to be approved by ACBS before being submitted to us.
How the price change mechanism works
As prices in the market are constantly changing, there is an agreed mechanism in place to increase and decrease the reimbursement prices for medicines. This is intended to take into account pharmacies having stock of certain products already on their shelves when a price change is first introduced.
PSNC keeps the proprietary and non-proprietary price change mechanisms under close review. Over the years, the current agreement has had a neutral effect on pharmacy contractors’ reimbursement given that prices decrease as well as increase from time to time.
Proprietary products
For proprietary preparations and Part VIIIA products where the price is based on a proprietary product (for example, most Part VIIIA Category C products), a price change up to and including the 8th of the month takes effect for prescriptions dispensed in the following month.
A price change after the 8th of the month will be applied for reimbursement purposes to prescriptions dispensed one month later. Part VIIIA Category C includes drugs that are not readily available as a generic. The price is based on a particular proprietary product, manufacturer or sometimes supplier.
For example, if the manufacturer’s list price for a proprietary product changed on 6 February, the new reimbursement price would apply to prescriptions dispensed in March. If a manufacturer’s list price changed on 15 February, the new reimbursement price would apply to prescriptions dispensed in April.
Generic products
For non-proprietary or generic products (excluding products in Part VIIIA, Category M) the reimbursement price change takes place one month earlier than proprietary products. Part VIIIA Category A includes popular generics, which are readily available. The price is based on a weighted average of the List Prices from 2 wholesalers and 2 generic manufacturers.
For example, if the manufacturer’s list price changed on 6 February, the new reimbursement price would apply to prescriptions dispensed in February. If a manufacturer’s list price for a generic drug changed on 15 February, the new reimbursement price would apply to prescriptions dispensed in March.