Prime Minister David Cameron has today announced a scheme that will enable pharmacy contractors to receive earlier payment for prescriptions dispensed.

The scheme is expected to be introduced in 2013-14 and will be voluntary for contractors. 

It will enable them to receive advance payments for prescriptions dispensed on day 7 or 8 of the month following that in which the items were dispensed - i.e. a few days after submission of their prescriptions. 

For example, for prescriptions dispensed in January, contractors would be able to access the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) advance payment on the 7th or 8th of February. The full and final payment would still be received at the end of March.

The earlier advance payments will be made via an intermediary finance house.

A charge will be applied to contractors electing to take advantage of this scheme, but the government has said that this will be considerably cheaper than commercial interest rates.

The aims of the scheme are to help contractors better manage cash flow and to enable  them to settle their accounts more quickly.

Sue Sharpe, PSNC Chief Executive, said:  “Anything that can help pharmacy contractors to better manage their cash flow in these tough economic times is good news, and as such we welcome this initiative from the government. If the levy terms are good enough, this could be a help to some businesses."


Commenting on his blog David Carter, Chairman of Gateshead & South Tyneside LPC  welcomed the scheme but pointed out that Pharmacy payments should perhaps follow other commercial transactions and be paid after 30 days anyway.  
Read more at his blog.

Again Pharmacy is hit with big funding reductions.
Read our Chairmans Blog to find out more.

NHS South of Tyne & Wear Medicines Management Team has been alerted to a supply problem with Morphine 10mg / ml Injections.
The Manufacturers have stated that this is due to a manufacturing problem and are expecting the problem to be resolved sometime between 
mid to end October  however they are unable to offer an exact date when local wholesalers will receive supplies.  

The Medicines management team are recommending that if you receive a prescription for the 10mg injections and are unable to supply it to contact the GP practice as soon as possible to ask them to prescribe an alternative available strength (no current problems with 15mg and 30mg) until supply problems have been resolved.

GP practices have been alerted to this supply problem.

NHS South of Tyne & Wear is commissioning an Influenza vaccination service from community pharmacy for the 2012-13 season. 

This year’s service will be targeted at those patients aged 16 to 65 years who are in a clinical at risk group. 

Last year the PCTs achieved a 54% vaccination uptake in this group of patients. Their target for this year is 70%. 

Traditionally, these patients have only been able to access vaccination at their GP practice. As many patients in this group work, this is not always convenient. The PCTs are keen to address this gap in service provision and view community pharmacy as the ideal service provider. Not only are pharmacy opening hours more accessible for many of these patients, many of them will not see the GP regularly but will be collecting regular medication from their pharmacy.

The LPCs are also very pleased to inform you that the service delivery for this year will commence formally from 1st October, although you can start to vaccinate patients having completed your training and having vaccines in stock. Promotion of the service to patients can of course start immediately. The service will run until 31st January 2013, when all vaccination data has to be submitted to the Department of Health by the PCTs.

To find out more and to register for training or to register your interest in providing the Service click the button below.