Five SSPs further extended
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has provided an update on the Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) for 5 SSPs. The following HRT SSPs were due to expire 13 January 2023 but have been further extended to Friday 27 January 2023.
| SSP | Expiry Date | Supporting Information |
| SSP029 Sandrena® 0.5mg and 1mg gel sachets – restriction | 27 January 2023 | SSP029 guide |
| SSP030 Sandrena® 0.5mg and 1mg gel sachets – substitution | 27 January 2023 | SSP030 guide |
| SSP031 Sandrena® 0.5mg and 1mg gel sachets – substitution and restriction | 27 January 2023 | SSP031 guide |
| SSP036 Estraderm MX® 100mcg patches | 27 January 2023 | SSP036 guide |
| SSP038 Estraderm MX® 75mcg patches | 27 January 2023 | SSP038 guide |
Three HRT SSPs expired on Friday 13 January, click here to view our full article.
Pharmacists should ensure they are looking at the latest version of the SSP and endorsement guidance on the NHSBSA website.
Contractors will receive an email to their shared NHSmail account informing them of these changes and pharmacy teams are advised to read the documentation in full and to implement the protocols with immediate effect. Pharmacists are required to read and comply with the requirements outlined within the individual SSP as published on the NHSBSA website.
Click here to see PSNC’s top tips to claim for and reconcile SSP payments.
Support in implementing the SSPs
The following resources have been developed to support pharmacy teams in using these protocols.
PSNC’s Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) Endorsing Factsheet
PSNC Briefing 023/19: Serious Shortage Protocols – A guide for community pharmacy teams
Serious Shortage Protocols Operational Guidance
Serious Shortage Protocols Questions & Answers
Background information on SSPs
