SSP for Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified-release tablets issued

In response to a significant ongoing disruption to the supply of Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified-release tablets, a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) has been issued by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Effective today 23rd June 2025, SSP083, provides that for every Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified-release tablet originally prescribed one Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified-release capsule must be supplied. SSP083, authorised by the Secretary of State, has been developed by clinicians and provides pharmacists with procedures to follow in providing a suitable alternative product to help reduce the number of patients having to return to their prescriber for a replacement prescription.

Community Pharmacy England previously reported that the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received a number of EPS SSP claims which did not meet the requirements for a valid SSP claim. A large number SSP claims continue to be deemed invalid by the NHSBSA due to incorrect endorsements applied by PMR systems and/or pharmacy staff. We recommend pharmacy owners to regularly reconcile the value of SSP fees on their payment schedules against the number of SSPs declared on the FP34C submission form. Please refer to our guidance on reconciliation of SSP claims.

If there is a payment discrepancy and it is believed that the correct SSP endorsing guidance was followed, pharmacy owners may consider requesting a re-check of relevant prescriptions and the NHSBSA will be able to explain why the claim was unpaid or rectify the payments.

Pharmacy teams are reminded to follow the SSP-specific guidance to ensure endorsements are applied correctly, and we also have guidance supporting teams raising PMR-specific claiming issues with their suppliers. Click here for more Top Tips on claiming for SSPs. 

Key points relating to SSP083

• • This protocol does not allow for the quantity supplied to be less than the number of days prescribed on original prescription.
  • SSP083 only allows the substitution of Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified-release tablets.
  • Ensure that patients considered unsuitable for inclusion are promptly referred to their prescriber for further advice.
  • The supervising pharmacist should ensure that the patient’s prescriber is notified when supplying a patient in accordance with this SSP
  • The supervising pharmacist, using their professional judgement determines that swapping the patient to a different form of medicine would not be suitable for the patient
  • For endorsing requirements please refer to NHSBSA’s supporting guidance for SSP083.

Pharmacists must exercise their professional judgement to ensure the alternative products are suitable for the patient.

Pharmacy owners will receive an email to their shared NHSmail account informing them of this SSP and pharmacy teams are advised to read the documentation for SSP083 in full and to implement the protocol with immediate effect. Pharmacists are required to read and comply with the requirements outlined within the SSP as published on the NHSBSA website for SSP083 Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified-release tablets.

Reimbursement

Reimbursement is for the medicine supplied in accordance with the SSP and not the originally prescribed medicine i.e. in this instance pharmacy owners will be reimbursed the reimbursement price for Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified-release capsules. The reimbursement price will account for VAT payment. Supply in accordance with the SSP will result in the following fees being paid to the pharmacy owner and products supplied in accordance with an SSP is to be considered VAT zero-rated:

• One Single Activity fee (currently £1.46)
• One SSP fee (£5.35)

Support in implementing the SSP

Community Pharmacy England’s in-house Drug Tariff and funding experts have created a new video providing guidance on how to correctly endorse and claim for any supplies made against a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP). This is part of Community Pharmacy England’s ‘Funding & Reimbursement Shorts’ series, which has been created to provide pharmacy owners and their teams with more information on common funding and reimbursement topics.

The following resources have been developed to support pharmacy teams in using these protocols.

Current versions of SSPs

Serious Shortage Protocols Operational Guidance

Serious Shortage Protocols Questions & Answers

Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) Endorsing Factsheet

Briefing 023/19: Serious Shortage Protocols – A guide for community pharmacy teams

Background information on SSPs

Further information on what SSPs are and when they may be used is available via the links below.

Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) on-demand webinar

Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) webpage