Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs)

On 1 April 2023, NHSBSA introduced the functionality on the Manage Your Service (MYS) portal to allow pharmacies to sell Hormone Replacement Therapy PPCs (HRT PPCs) through MYS. On 29 June 2023 this was further extended enabling functionality to allow pharmacies to sell all types of Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPCs) through MYS. Pharmacy teams should note that selling of any PPCs is unfunded activity and it is optional for pharmacies to sell any PPCs in the pharmacy. To ensure patients select the PPC that is right for them, we recommend directing patients to the NHSBSA website to complete their PPC purchase:

• Patients can purchase an HRT PPC online at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/hrt-ppc or telephone 0300 330 2089.
• A standard (3 or 12-month) PPC can be purchased from www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescriptioncosts/nhs-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc or telephone 0300 330 1341.

Both pages also describe the scenarios each type of PPC may be best suited to. If a patient is unsure or needs more guidance, they can use the NHSBSA’s online eligibility checker.

Pharmacy teams should note that selling of PPCs in pharmacy may be beneficial for patients who require assistance for example due to difficulties using and/or accessing the internet. Please note the few pharmacies currently registered to sell standard PPCs will no longer need to log into a separate online system to process the PPCs sold through the pharmacy. MYS will be automatically updated to include a tab to ‘Sell a Prescription Payment Certificate (PPC)’.

The NHS prescription charge for England is currently set at £9.65 per item. PPCs offer savings for patients needing more than 4 items in 3 months or more than 12 items in one year.

There are 3 PPC options to choose from:

• 3-month PPC costs £31.25
• 12-month PPC costs £111.60
• 12-month Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) PPC costs £19.30

More information can be found at https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/nhs-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc

Selling a PPC

Patient should check if:

• they are eligible for free NHS prescriptions using the eligibility checker: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check. For more information on see Community Pharmacy England’s page Exemptions from the prescription charge
• a PPC is suitable for them – Does the patient expect to have more than 4 items in 3 months or 12 items in 12 months on prescription?
• a HRT PPC is suitable for them – Does the patient pay more than 2 prescription charges for medicines covered by the HRT PPC in 12 months?

If a patient is unsure whether they are entitled to free prescriptions, pharmacy teams should advise the patient to pay for their prescription and provide them with an FP57 Refund form with information on how to claim a refund at a later date. Further information for patients can be found at www.nhs.uk/healthcosts.

Next steps

PPC 

• Direct patient to www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescriptioncosts/nhs-prescription-prepayment-certificate-ppc to purchase directly from NHSBSA; or
• Ask patient to complete an FP95 form (see below).
• Sign in to MYS and select ‘Sell a Prescription Payment Certificate (PPC)’.
• Take full payment of the appropriate charge for a 3 or 12 month PPC – payment to be made in full at the pharmacy.

An FP95 (PPC application form) is for pharmacy use only; used to capture patient information to ensure accurate transcribing onto the PPC online system. FP95s do not need to be submitted to NHSBSA, PPC applications can be completed in full online.

FP95 forms can be ordered through PCSE online.

HRT PPC

• Patients can purchase an HRT PPC online at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/hrt-ppc; or
• Sign in to MYS and select ‘Sell a Hormone Replacement Therapy Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC)’.
• Take full payment – payment to be made in full at the pharmacy.

Making a PPC application online

• Log in to MYS
  • Select the appropriate tab; either ‘Sell a Prescription Payment Certificate (PPC)’ or ‘Sell a Hormone Replacement Therapy Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC)’
  • Follow on-screen prompts, populating patient details (from the completed FP95 where applicable).
  • Ensure the ‘Date Sold’ is accurately recorded – the amount deducted will be based on the date sold, regardless of the start date.
  • Double check patient information on-screen on the ‘check you answers’ page – amend if necessary
  • Submit PPC application
  • The ‘application complete’ screen will confirm the customer’s certificate number and dates of validity.
• Inform patient that digital certificates will be emailed immediately to email address provided. You can also provide PPC details or print a copy of the ‘application complete’ page if required.

If a pharmacy makes an error when processing an online application, the action to take depends on when it was submitted.

If the application was submitted in the same day, follow the NHSBSA PPC Pharmacy sales – disruption procedures and advice on NHSBSA website.

Alternatively, pharmacies can contact NHSBSA Technical and Procedural team (T&P) to correct the error:

Telephone: 0300 330 1009 or email: technicalandproceduralteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk 

If the certificate has been already issued, the pharmacy must ask the PPC holder to contact NHSBSA directly for assistance.

Other ways to purchase a PPC

PPC: online www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppc (by Direct Debit or card payment)

Telephone 0300 330 1341 (by Direct Debit or card payment)

HRT PPC: online at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/hrt-ppc

Telephone 0300 330 2089

Declaring number of PPCs sold

You do not need to declare the number of PPCs sold on your FP34C. The NHSBSA obtain the figures for the number of PPCs sold and total value of your sales from your MYS activity.

Pharmacy payments/processing

You don’t need to send any payment received for PPC’s sold to the NHSBSA. The NHSBSA will deduct the monthly total value of the PPC’s sold via MYS from your monthly payment. For example, the Schedule of Payments received at the end of November for the dispensing month of September will show the PPCs sold in October.

The total value of your sales of PPCs will be shown on the Schedule under the ‘Other’ section.

FAQs

Q. Is the HRT PPC refundable?
A. The HRT PPC certificate is non-refundable, so patients must check this type of certificate is suitable for them before they purchase it. Patients can call 0300 330 2089 for help and support.

Q. Where can I find the most up to date list of HRT medicines covered by the HRT PPC?
The list of HRT medicines covered by the HRT PPC will be published in Part XVI of the Drug Tariff. The up-to-date HRT medicines list is available on the HRT PPC application page and the NHSBSA help with health costs page.

Q. How will a patient using HRT know which PPC would be best for them?
A. A standard 3-month or 12-month PPC applies to all medicines prescribed on NHS prescriptions whereas an HRT PPC only applies to certain HRT medicines only.

With an HRT PPC, patients could save money if they pay more than two HRT prescription charges within 12 months. Patients who purchase an HRT PPC will continue to pay for any chargeable non-HRT items (i.e. prescribed items that do not appear on the Drug Tariff HRT list).

If a patient is also prescribed other chargeable items in addition to their HRT medicines, a standard 3-month PPC will benefit those who expect to have 4 or more items in 3 months whereas a 12 month-PPC will benefit those with 12 or more items a year.

Q. Is this list of medicines covered by the HRT PPC subject to change?
A. Yes. The list will be updated as new HRT medicines licensed for the treatment of menopause become available in the UK or as existing HRT medicines are discontinued from the UK market. If a product that meets the criteria is missing from the HRT medicines list please contact dhsc.publicenquiries@dhsc.gov.uk.

Useful links

HRT Prescription Prepayment Certificates (PPCs)

Community Pharmacy England Briefing 008/23: FAQs to support DHSC guidance on the new HRT prescription prepayment certificate (HRT PPC)

Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) Process flowchart (NHSBSA)

Pharmacy NHS Hormone Replacement Therapy Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC) process (NHSBSA)

For downloadable prepayment certificate posters see our page What does the patient pay?

View NHSBSAs PPC page here