Tariff fees to be rationalised
Drug Tariff dispensing fees payable to community pharmacies in England and Wales are to be simplified to facilitate the electronic transfer of prescriptions.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee agreed the step, which
will entail the removal of some fees that are rarely claimed, such as
the fee for preparing powders, at its February meeting. Sue Sharpe, PSNC
chief executive, said that details of the fees to be removed would not
be released until everyone involved, including the Department of Health
and the Prescription Pricing Authority, was of the same view.
At the same meeting, PSNC members heard that new NHS (Pharmaceutical
Services) Regulations would be laid before Parliament in March. The Regulations
will provide for the new pharmacy contract, changes to the rules on awarding
new pharmacy contracts, new rules for pharmaceutical services in rural
areas and banning unsuitable pharmacists from working in NHS services.
The PSNC also agreed to ask the DoH to change the strict rules requiring
pharmacists to supervise dispensing and sales. |
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