The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) has announced that medicine margin will be adjusted upwards by £27.2 million per quarter or £9.07 million a month through Category M reimbursement prices from Jan 1, 2021.
The January Category M prices mainly reflect natural reductions to prices due to changes in the buying costs of medicines between July and September 2020.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) said it had pressed the DH to retain the previous £15m per quarter uplift included in October’s Drug Tariff.
“The Committee felt that, given that this list would take effect in the immediate aftermath of the end of the Brexit transition period, it would be prudent to try and maintain some stability of medicine reimbursement prices,” the PSNC has said.
“PSNC has agreed the adjustments based on our analysis of margin delivery and on current projections for 2020-21. Our objectives are to ensure full delivery of agreed margin and smooth delivery as much as possible.”
“As always, the impact on individual pharmacies will vary depending on dispensing mix.”
