Contractor Notice: Expiry of SSP034 Combisal®125mcg/25mcg inhalers
Friday 7th October 2022
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed that sufficient stock of Combisal®125mcg/25mcg inhalers is now available to meet normal demand. As a result the Serious Shortage Protocol, SSP034 Combisal®125mcg/25mcg inhalers expires at 23.59pm on Friday 7 October 2022. After this date, any prescriptions for Combisal®125mcg/25mcg inhalers must be dispensed in accordance with the prescription, and the SSP034 will no longer be valid for use.
Top tips for SSP claims
- Where available, use the claim amend facility on the PMR system to rectify any incorrect EPS claims already submitted this month.
- For any supplies made in accordance with SSPs, check that the correct number of patient charges are collected and declared on the end of month FP34C submission.
- When a spacer device is supplied in accordance with SSP034, contractors should endorse the brand and type of spacer supplied for example, Volumatic® or Volumatic paediatric® with mask, if appropriate – further endorsement information for SSP034 can be found here.
- NHSBSA advise that contractors must follow the specific endorsement guidance issued with each SSP and endorsements should be clear and unambiguous – NHSBSA processing staff must be able to determine what has been supplied. NHSBSA have published information on common SSP endorsing errors they see when processing claims.
- Any paper prescriptions with SSP claims need to be placed in the red separator provided by the NHSBSA.
- Although an SSP cannot be used outside its period of validity, claims can be submitted up to three calendar months after expiry or withdrawal of the SSP to help manage any owings for other items issued on the same prescription form. For example, for SSP034 Combisal®125mcg/25mcg inhalers, which expires at 23.59pm on Friday 7 October 2022, the NHSBSA would continue to look for the “SSP” endorsement on prescriptions for Combisal®125mcg/25mcg inhalers that are submitted with the November batch (submitted by 5 December), December batch (submitted by 5 January) and January batch (submitted by 5 February).
- Pharmacy contractors should declare the number of SSP claims submitted each month to reconcile against their monthly Schedule of Payments or Prescription Item (PIR) reports.
- View our SSP submission guidance to ensure your SSP claims are appropriately submitted to NHSBSA for reimbursement.
Additional information
Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs)
PSNC Briefing 011/21: Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) updated endorsing guidance
Friday 7th October 2022
