Norfolk LPC
Payment NOT to Dispense
Payment NOT to Dispense is a relatively new service in Norfolk.
Over £2 million of drugs are returned for destruction each year in Norfolk. As we all know, many patients just "tick everything" when reordering their repeat medication- for a variety of reasons.
Until now there has been no way of remunerating pharmacies for identifying and not dispensing items which have been ordered but are not required in a reasonable timescale. This scheme provides a way.
Click Here to access a letter from Norfolk PCT which explains how the scheme works.
It is important to remember the following:
Prescriptions ordered under the "repeat dispensing" regulations are NOT eligible
Items which the patient is advised to purchase where the purchase price is less than a prescription fee are NOT eligible
Christine Walton MRPharmS is the Prescribing Adviser leading on the scheme: christine.walton@nhs.net
All forms and paperwork are available via Christine. Completed paperwork (claims) should be submitted to Christine by the end of the following month at the latest.
At this time of massive PCT debt, the success of this scheme is vital. If we can show that community pharmacy is willing and able to assist with PCT debt reduction, not only does this help the LPC to continue to defend Contractors from unwelcome and potentially hugely damaging PCT decisions that have been imposed in some other areas of the country, but it also strengthens the case for the commissioning of other new services from community pharmacy.
You may think that, if you can only save a few items each week, that this won't make a difference, but over 52 weeks the 111 pharmacies in the Norfolk PCT area really can have a huge impact.
