Retrospective reimbursement price adjustments for Gaviscon Infant oral powder sachets dual dose sachets
Following representations made by Community Pharmacy England on behalf of community pharmacy owners, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has agreed to retrospectively adjust the reimbursement price of Gaviscon Infant oral powder 15 dual dose sachets for EPS prescriptions dispensed between May 2023 to November 2024.
The term ‘dual dose sachets’ was updated to single sachets in July 2019. Despite the name change, pharmacies continued to receive prescriptions bearing the old product name. However, any prescriptions for dual dose sachets were recognised and reimbursed as one sachet by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). For example, if a prescription for Gaviscon Infant oral powder ordered 15 dual sachets and a pharmacy dispensed 15 pairs of sachets (or 30 single sachets), NHSBSA would have only reimbursed the pharmacy for 15 single sachets.
Community Pharmacy England’s Prescription Audit Team identified this pricing issue during their routine process of auditing prescriptions dispensed by a sample of pharmacies each month. The issue was brought to DHSC’s attention who accepted that one dual dose sachet is considered a pair of sachets rather than a single sachet. This is also in line with the product SmPC which states that a pack contains ’30 unit dose sachets joined in pairs’.
NHSBSA is in the process of re-checking all EPS prescriptions (dispensed between May 2023 – November 2024) for Gaviscon Infant oral powder dual dose sachets priced incorrectly and will apply any adjustments accordingly. If any payment adjustments are made, pharmacies will be notified by the NHSBSA with a letter alongside their Schedule of Payments.
From December 2024, prescriptions for dual dose sachets will be recognised and reimbursed a pair of sachets i.e. pharmacies will be paid for 30 single sachets against a prescription ordering 15 dual dose sachets.
Any submitted FP10 paper prescriptions for Gaviscon Infant oral powder dual dose sachets will not be automatically re-checked by the NHSBSA. Pharmacy owners will need to submit a prescription re-check request to NHSBSA if they dispensed any paper prescriptions (in the last 18 months) bearing the old product name. See the process below for requesting a prescription re-check.
To request a prescription recheck, please see the steps below:
- Complete a prescription pricing enquiry form indicating the nature of the enquiry which has affected payment for example number of items, expensive items, switching etc and providing any additional information which may help NHSBSA to process the recheck request.
- Once completed, the enquiry form must be signed and date, and submitted via email to repricingrequest@nhsbsa.nhs.uk or, alternatively, the form can be posted to the Customer Payments Team, NHS Business Services Authority, Bridge House, 152 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6SN.
- All requests must be submitted no later than eighteen months from the end of the month of dispensing month (e.g. for prescriptions dispensed in August 2023, the request must be submitted before end of 28 February 2025). After the eighteen-month deadline has passed, no further requests can be made for that dispensing month.
- A separate form must be completed for each month being requested for a recheck.
- Pharmacy owners with more than one pharmacy need to complete separate request forms for each pharmacy and month they wish to have rechecked.
Please see our Prescription Rechecks page for more information.
