The community pharmacy contractors now can start claiming their extra costs incurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as per an update posted by Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC).
The six-week period for claiming the costs began from Monday (July 5).
The move is a part of a deal reached between the PSNC and the government in June-end.
Last week, PSNC chief executive Simon Dukes also asked community pharmacy contractors in England to claim a range of costs incurred during the coronavirus pandemic.
As per the deal, contractors can get reimbursement for specific categories of Covid related costs incurred during March 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021 for the delivery of NHS pharmaceutical services.
All claims must be submitted between July 5 and August 15 using an agreed claim form provided by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). The payments will be made on October 1.
While submitting claims, contractors need to set out their costs according to the categories suggested by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and indicate evidence for the same.
The categories include additional staff costs due to Covid-19, IT and communication costs to support remote working and virtual patient contact, expenditure on notified closures for infection control purposes and making the premises secure.
Contractors are advised to think carefully when making their claims as DHSC has not set out detailed evidence requirements, but may ask for it on a later stage.
Besides, owner of more than one pharmacy can submit one claim for all the premises.
To help contractors in making their claims, PSNC will issue a series of guidelines. The first of these was published on Monday (Jul 5).
