Incentives offered for cost-effective flu vaccine purchasing by pharmacies
in Scotland
Community pharmacists in Scotland are being offered a financial incentive
to give the NHS value for money when purchasing influenza vaccines (PDF 190K).
Details of the new payment, negotiated between the Scottish Pharmaceutical
General Council and Scottish Executive Health Department, were published
in an NHS circular this week. It says the “effective purchasing
payment” is designed to return to contractors a share of the benefits
they achieve through effective purchasing. The payment will be calculated
on an individual contractor basis and depends on the number of vaccines
purchased.
The circular explains the arrangements for influenza vaccine supply for
the 2007–08 season. GPs should advise community pharmacists of
their vaccine requirements by 23 February, and pharmacists should place
orders by 9 March. Each vaccine will attract a handling fee of 55p and
a risk minimisation fee of 55p (providing certain criteria are met, including
dividing the order between at least three manufacturers). Future changes
to the vaccine purchasing arrangements look likely.
The circular states: “A review of flu vaccine purchasing arrangements
is under way. It has however been decided that any substantial change
in supply arrangements will not take effect until purchasing for the
2008–09 season.”
A second NHS circular details the arrangements for pneumococcal vaccine
supply. Again, GPs should advise community pharmacists of their requirements
by 23 February 2007 (PDF 80K).
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