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Category D Impact on PPA Services
The processing of prescriptions and the provision of prescribing information services is still being delayed by the significant increase in Category D drug tariff items for the months currently being processed.
Drug items are classified as Category D when there is a problem of availability at the lowest price. The Department of Health may agree a concession, which is to accept the pharmacist endorsement of an alternative manufacturer/supplier (see drug tariff page 45 category D).
Category D items take longer to process than non-Category D items. Normally out of the 44 million prescriptions we process each month less than 1% of prescriptions come under this definition. However, currently there appear to be supply problems with some generic items listed in the drug tariff, including a number of commonly prescribed items. For the current processing month (December 1999) the volume has reduced from a peak of 16% to 9% of prescriptions being classified as Category D. This reduction will assist the PPA recovery strategy.
At this stage, the PPA is unable to state when the Category D issue will be resolved, but current evidence indicates that the problem is likely to continue for a number of months. The expected dates for the availability of the information services will be provided on this page, in addition to the monthly letters sent to HAs, PCGs, Hospital Trusts and Contractors until normal service levels are resumed.
Click here for list of category D drugs.
Information Services
Information Services
(Updated on 30 March 2000)
The planned (tentative or expected) or actual dates for service provisions are :
| System/Service |
Dispensing Month |
Available Date |
Status |
| Hospital Trust Schedules |
October
November |
13 March 2000
28 April 2000 |
Actual
Tentative |
| PMD Reports |
November |
28 March 2000 |
Actual |
| Availability of EPACT data |
October
November |
16 February 2000
29 March 2000 |
Actual
Actual |
| Availability of EPACT.net data |
October
November |
17 February 2000
29 March 2000 |
Actual
Actual |
| PCA Reports |
October
November |
1 March 2000
1 April 2000 |
Actual
Planned |
| PACT Standards |
July - September |
10 February 2000 |
Actual |
Payments
(Updated on 30 March 2000)
The planned dates for payments from the PPA are:
| Recipient |
Payment Date |
Payment Basis |
| English pharmacists |
3 April 2000 |
February declaration |
|
28 April 2000 |
March declaration
Value of November schedule
Recovery of 1 February 2000 interim payment |
| Appliance contractors |
3 April 2000 |
Average interim |
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28 April 2000 |
Value of December schedule |
| English dispensing doctors |
3 April 2000 |
February declaration |
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28 April 2000 |
March declaration
Value of November schedule
Recovery of 1 February 2000 interim payment |
Payments to Oxygen Concentrator Suppliers are not delayed and are following the normal schedule.
The planned and actual dates for providing Health Authorities with information on Personal Administration for prescribing doctors are:
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Personal Administration English prescribing doctors
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| Dispensing Month |
Information |
Date |
Status |
| December |
Actual 3Payment Tape |
13 April 2000 |
Planned |
| January |
Interim Payment Schedule |
9 March 2000 |
Actual |
D.G Ball
Director of Information Technology
Data Protection Officer
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