On 1 April 2023, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will introduce a new Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) to reduce the cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for patients.
The certificate will be valid for 12 months and covers an unlimited number of listed HRT medicines for the cost of two single prescription charges. Patients could save money if they pay more than two HRT prescription charges within 12 months.
Dispensing doctors and other prescribers must complete a separate FP10 for items covered by the HRT PPC to allow patients to claim the exemption correctly. Items covered by the HRT PPC and other chargeable items cannot be prescribed together on a single FP10 form.
The new FP10 includes an exemption box ‘W’, to enable patients with a valid HRT PPC to claim exemption. The new FP10 will also be available from 1 April 2023.
The new FP57 updates the prescription charges section to enable the dispensing practitioners (or their staff) to specify if the item dispensed is on the Drug Tariff HRT PPC list. The form includes a new exemption box ‘W’, to enable patients to claim a refund of certain NHS HRT prescription charges. The new FP57 will be available soon.
Prescribers and dispensers are encouraged to continue to use the old forms until stocks run out.
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) will process both old and new versions of the FP10 form during the transition period. Patients with a valid HRT PPC should mark box ‘W’ on the prescription form.
If the prescription form does not have a box for HRT PPC, patients should tick box ‘F’ instead.
When using the old FP57, dispensers should complete a separate FP57 for HRT and non-HRT items. For items covered by the HRT PPC, annotate Part A with ‘listed HRT’ and initial the annotation. Patients with a valid HRT PPC should tick box ‘F’ to claim a refund of prescription charges covered by the HRT PPC.