Pharmacy contractors should note for Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) 2021/22, that the arrangements for claiming payment for PQS have been altered in recognition of the significant contribution of the pharmacy workforce to the COVID-19 vaccination programme in all delivery models.
Where due to Covid-19 a pharmacy contractor has been unable to complete the domain(s), which they had intended to complete before the declaration period ended on 25 February 2022, the pharmacy contractor can make a declaration that: they will complete the domain(s) before 31 March 2022 and that they will have the evidence to demonstrate compliance with the domain(s) by 30 June 2022. The evidence of completion of the relevant domain(s), must be retained in the pharmacy to demonstrate that the contractor has met the requirements of the domain(s). This evidence may be requested for provider assurance purposes after 30 June 2022.
Pharmacy contractors also now have until 5 April 2022 to claim payment for the minimum 20 NMS required (those NMS must be undertaken by 31 March 2022), as set out in the gateway criteria.
Pharmacy contractors should note that the changes to the determination are not reflected in the published December 2021 Drug Tariff and they will also not be reflected in the January 2022 Drug Tariff.