The Department of Health and Social Care (DH) has approved the use of a new endorsement to claim for any supplies made in accordance with an SSP.
Effective from June 1, 2021, the new endorsement uses the code ‘SSP’ followed by the three-digit reference number applicable to the SSP.
For example, SSP007 for Fluoxetine 30mg capsules would be endorsed as ‘SSP 007’.
To allow for implementation of this new SSP endorsement functionality, a transition period from June 1 to October 5 has been agreed.
During the transition period, the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) will accept either the new ‘SSP’ or existing ‘NCSO’ endorsement for any SSP claims submitted using electronic prescriptions, EPS tokens of FP10 paper prescriptions.
“After the transition period only the new SSP endorsement will be accepted by the NHSBSA on electronic and paper prescriptions. Any SSP claims made using EPS tokens after October 2021 will no longer be accepted for payment,” the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) said.
The latest update will affect all future SSPs as well as the following SSPs which are currently in effect:
| SSP | Expiry Date |
| SSP05: Fluoxetine 10mg tablets (Note: for endorsement purposes, SSP05 should be endorsed as SSP005) |
13 August 2021 |
| SSP007: Fluoxetine 30mg capsules | 13 August 2021 |
| SSP012: Estradot® 75 microgram patches | 11 June 2021 |
Other updates
- for a Multiple Dispensed Product SSP – where a prescribed item is replaced by two or more items (for example, SSP007 for Fluoxetine 30mg capsules allows for the 10mg and 20mg capsules to be supplied instead of the prescribed Fluoxetine 30mg capsules), some dispensing systems may accommodate the new SSP endorsements for both replacement items whereas other systems may only accommodate endorsement of one replacement item. Where only one of the replacement products can be endorsed, the NHSBSA will add and reimburse the other replacement items
- specific SSP endorsement guidance also applies to replacement product(s) which are not listed in Part VIII of the Drug Tariff.
Since 2019, the use of the ‘NCSO’ endorsement was agreed as a temporary workaround to make a claim for supplies made in accordance with an SSP. Since then, work has been underway by the NHSBSA and NHS Digital to introduce the new SSP endorsement functionality into dispensing systems.
