Drug Tariff Watch – April 2024
The Drug Tariff Preface published monthly, lists additions, deletions and other changes to products listed in the Drug Tariff. Below is a summary of the changes coming into effect from 1 April 2024.
Part II – Requirements enabling payments to be made for the supply of drugs, appliances and chemical reagents
Contractors should note changes made to Clause 8 Basic Price imposing the introduction of Clause 8 B2 which sets out changes to the approach of concessions pricing.
Community Pharmacy England opposes this imposition in the strongest terms, and we are calling for an urgent review of medicines supply and margin systems to assure safety for patients and economic stability for pharmacies.
For more information including guidance for writing to your MP see here.
Part VIIIA – Basic prices of drugs
Contractors should note changes made to:
- Basic Price of Drugs covered by Part II Clause 8A regarding Category A.
- Part VIIIA with regards to Category A reforms.
For more information see here.
Part VIIIE – Retrospective top-up payment for concessionary prices
Contractors should note the addition of Part VIIIE – Retrospective top-up payment for concessionary prices.
Top-up payments will be applied automatically to all pharmacies who have dispensed the affected items listed in Part VIIIE. For more information see here.
| Key | |
| g | Special container – This product is a special container and should be dispensed in its complete original pack size. |
| n | Item requiring reconstitution – This product requires reconstitution; pharmacy teams are advised to endorse the amount of packs supplied to enable the patient to complete the full course of medication prescribed. |
| § | Selected List Scheme (SLS) – see Part XVIIIB of the Drug Tariff |
| * | This pack only (others already/still available) |
| BB | Product is eligible for Broken Bulk claims where payment is made for a complete pack if a part-pack has been dispensed to match the prescribed quantity and it is unlikely that you will be able to dispense the balance within the following six months. |
| OOP | Product eligible for Out Of Pocket expense claims (over £0.50) where in exceptional circumstances, pharmacy owners incur expenses in obtaining this product (which is not required to be frequently supplied by the pharmacy owner). |
| DND | Product is not subject to discount deduction or ‘clawback’ as it meets either group or individual item criteria for DND (Discount Not Deducted) as set out in Part II of the Drug Tariff. |
Category C Additions:
- Azathioprine 10mg/ml oral suspension sugar free g (200ml) – Jayempi – DND and OOP
- Chlorhexidine gluconate 1% solution g (150ml) – Cepton – OOP
- Semaglutide 14mg tablets g (30) – Rybelsus – DND and OOP
- Semaglutide 3mg tablets g (30) – Rybelsus – DND and OOP
- Semaglutide 7mg tablets g (30) – Rybelsus – DND and OOP
- Sirolimus 2mg/g gel g (10g) – Hyftor – DND and OOP
- Venlafaxine 300mg modified-release tablets (30) – Martindale Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB and OOP
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is imposing the introduction of new reimbursement arrangements for the setting of Drug Tariff Category A products from April 2024. As part of this, 115 lines have been moved from Category A to Category C in the April Drug Tariff as they do not meet the qualifying criteria to remain in Category A. An Excel spreadsheet of these lines can be viewed here.
- Alverine 120mg capsules (60) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £2.99 to £4.62 - Alverine 60mg capsules (100) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £2.85 to £4.43 - Betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream g (30g) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £1.39 to £2.62 - Betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream g (100g) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £3.47 to £6.10 - Calcium and Ergocalciferol tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £40.68 to £68.88 - Cefalexin 250mg tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category C – Flynn Pharma Ltd – BB and OOP
Price increase £2.34 to £2.48
- Chlorpromazine 100mg tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £22.06 to £41.44 - Citalopram 40mg/ml oral drops sugar free g (15ml) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £8.26 to £14.89 - Co-amilozide 5mg/50mg tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £10.60 to £18.45 - Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules (30) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price decrease £6.00 to £4.77 - Desmopressin 10micrograms/dose nasal spray g (60 dose) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £21.52 to £37.11 - Dosulepin 25mg capsules (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £4.99 to £8.07 - Frovatriptan 2.5mg tablets (6) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £12.05 to £20.03 - Fusidic acid 2% cream g (15g) Category M has now moved to Category C – Fucidin – OOP
Price decrease £2.30 to £1.92
- Fusidic acid 2% cream g (30g) Category M has now moved to Category C – Fucidin – OOP
Price decrease £4.60 to £3.59 - Glycopyrronium bromide 200micrograms/1ml solution for injection ampoules (10) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £2.24 to £17.29 - Hydrocortisone 2.5% cream g (15g) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £45.14 to £87.45 - Hydroxyzine 25mg tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £1.14 to £1.22 - Indometacin 50mg capsules (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £2.01 to £2.56 - Ipratropium bromide 500micrograms/2ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials (20) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £3.33 to £5.66 - Liothyronine 20microgram tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £40.10 to £62.32 - Lisdexamfetamine 20mg capsules (28) Category C – Elvanse reference product has now been removed – DND, BB and OOP
Price remains at £54.62 - Lisdexamfetamine 40mg capsules (28) Category C – Elvanse reference product has now been removed – DND, BB and OOP
Price remains at £62.82 - Lisdexamfetamine 60mg capsules (28) Category C – Elvanse reference product has now been removed – DND, BB and OOP
Price remains at £75.18 - Losartan 100mg / Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £3.50 to £5.57 - Losartan 50mg / Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £2.72 to £4.38 - Morphine sulfate 10mg/5ml oral solution (300ml) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £3.76 to £7.22 - Omeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets (7) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £5.96 to £10.41 - Oxycodone 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules (5) Category C – OxyNorm has now moved to Category M – DND
Price decrease £8.00 to £3.61 - Paracetamol 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free (200ml) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £5.65 to £9.08 - Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets (24) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £3.37 to £4.76 - Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets (100) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £14.04 to £20.15 - Propranolol 160mg modified-release capsules (28) Category C reference product now reads – Beta-Prograne – BB and OOP
Price remains at £4.88
- Quinine bisulfate 300mg tablets (28) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £4.78 to £8.32 - Rivaroxaban 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free g (250ml) Category C – Xarelto pack size has changed to (100ml)
Price remains at £18.00 - Ropinirole 250microgram tablets (12) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £6.20 to £10.61 - Timolol 0.25% eye drops g (5ml) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £2.13 to £3.33 - Valaciclovir 500mg tablets (10) Category M has now moved to Category A
Price increase £11.05 to £18.20 - Venlafaxine 150mg modified-release tablets (30) Category C – Venlalic XL reference product has changed to – Martindale Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB and OOP
Price remains at £3.90
- Venlafaxine 225mg modified-release tablets (30) Category C – Venlalic XL reference product has changed to – Martindale Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB and OOP
Price remains at £33.60 - Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified-release tablets (30) Category C – Venlalic XL reference product has changed to – Martindale Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB and OOP
Price increase £6.60 to £7.30
- Venlafaxine 75mg modified-release tablets (30) Category C – Venlalic XL reference product has changed to – Martindale Pharmaceuticals Ltd – BB and OOP
Price remains at £2.60
Please note price listed here was correct at the time of publishing and is subject to change in line with the price change mechanism.
If all pack sizes of a drug have been removed from Part VIII of the Drug Tariff the drug can continue to be dispensed as long as it does NOT appear in Part XVIIIA (Drugs, Medicines and other substances not to be ordered under a General Medical Services Contract).
Category A Deletions:
- Acetone liquid (50ml)
- Formaldehyde (Buffered) 4% solution (1000 ml)
- Menthol crystals (5g)
- Phenylbutazone 100mg tablets (84)
- Soap spirit methylated (500ml)
Category C Deletions:
- Azathioprine 50mg powder for solution for injection vials g (1) – Imuran
- Chlorhexidine 0.2% oral spray sugar free g (60ml) – Corsodyl
- Epoetin alfa 1,000units/0.5ml solution for injection pre-filled syringes (6) – Eprex
- Fluticasone propionate 100micrograms/dose / Salmeterol 12.75micrograms/dose dry powder inhaler g (60 dose) – Seffalair Spiromax
- Fluticasone propionate 202micrograms/dose / Salmeterol 12.75micrograms/ dose dry powder inhaler g (60 dose) – Seffalair Spiromax
- Kaolin and Morphine mixture (200ml) – Thornton & Ross Ltd
- * Metronidazole 0.75% cream g (30g) – Rozex
- Proguanil 100mg tablets (98) – Paludrine
- Testosterone 50mg/5g transdermal gel unit dose tube (30) – Testim
Category M Deletions:
- Hydrocortisone 0.5% cream g (15g)
- Azathioprine 50mg/5ml oral suspension STD, SF, LF, CF, NSF, AF, FF (100ml) – alternative product can be found in Part VIIIA.
- FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus Sensor
- Elive Cod Liver Oil 1000mg capsules
- Firdapse 10mg tablets
- Hydrocortisone acetate 25mg/1ml suspension for injection ampoules
- Hydrocortistab 25mg/1ml suspension for injection ampoules
- Kalydeco 150mg tablets
- Pulmocare liquid
The payment for these tests, where supplied as part of the service, will be £5.80 for 5 LFD tests An allowance at the applicable VAT rate will also be paid.
It is important to take careful note of removals from Part IX because if you dispense a deleted product, prescriptions will be returned as disallowed and therefore payment will not be made for dispensing the item.
The following appliances have been deleted from Part IX of the April 2024 Drug Tariff:
| Product | Additional information (size, product code etc) |
| APPLIANCES – CATHETERS, URINARY, URETHRAL – NÉLATON CATHETER (‘Ordinary’ Cylindrical Catheter) Single Use – Bard Ltd – HydroSil Go Intermittent Catheter – Male | 73810G-73820G, 10-20 gauge |
| APPLIANCES – CATHETERS, URINARY, URETHRAL – NÉLATON CATHETER (‘Ordinary’ Cylindrical Catheter) Single Use – Bard Ltd – HydroSil Go Intermittent Catheter – Female | 71808-71818, 8-18 gauge |
| APPLIANCES – CATHETERS, URINARY, URETHRAL – NÉLATON CATHETER (‘Ordinary’ Cylindrical Catheter) Single Use – Bard Ltd – HydroSil Go Intermittent Catheter – Paediatric | 72806G-72810G, 6-10 gauge |
| APPLIANCES – CATHETERS, URINARY, URETHRAL – FOLEY CATHETER – 2 Way For Long Term Use – Adult – Bard Ltd – Bard Bardex I.C. Bard Tray – Male | D23655S16, 10ml, 16 gauge |
| APPLIANCES – CATHETERS, URINARY, URETHRAL – FOLEY CATHETER – 2 Way For Long Term Use – Adult – Bard Ltd – Bard Bardex I.C. Bard Tray – Female | D23695M16, 10ml, 16 gauge |
| APPLIANCES – ORAL FILM FORMING AGENTS – Caphosol Dispersible | 30 tablets |
| APPLIANCES – TRACHEOSTOMY AND LARYNGECTOMY APPLIANCES – Blue Line tracheostomy tube | All sizes |
| APPLIANCES – TRACHEOSTOMY AND LARYNGECTOMY APPLIANCES – Blue Line Ultra Fenestrated tracheostomy tube inner cannula | All sizes |
| APPLIANCES – TRACHEOSTOMY AND LARYNGECTOMY APPLIANCES – Blue Line Ultra tracheostomy tube inner cannula | All sizes |
| APPLIANCES – TRACHEOSTOMY AND LARYNGECTOMY APPLIANCES – Tracheostomy Tube Holders – Portex Tracheostomy Tube Holder with Velcro Fastening | , 100/503/200 |
| CHEMICAL REAGENTS – DETECTION STRIPS, BLOOD FOR GLUCOSE – Colorimetric Strips – Active | 50 strips |
To view appliances due to be deleted from Part IX of the May, June and July 2024 Drug Tariffs visit our page Drug Tariff Appliance Watch: Notice of Deletion
To view the latest changes to special container status, visit our page Notice of changes to special container status of products page.
To view all the monthly changes to the DND status of products, visit our page Notice of changes to discount not deducted (DND) status of products.
To view previous Drug Tariff Watch months visit our page here.
