This report is intended to inform the negotiations on implementing new dispensing feescales for General Medical Service (GMS) contractors in England and Wales from 1 October 2020.
The methodology used in calculating the feescales follows that agreed between the British Medical Association (BMA), General Practitioners Committee, NHS Employers, the Department of Health and Social Care in England and the Welsh Government. A letter from NHS Employers outlining the agreed methodology is shown at Annex A. The methodology detailed in the letter was followed to calculate the new dispensing feescales for 1 October 2012 and replaced the previous methodology. This is the eighth year this methodology has been used to calculate the feescales.
The Technical Steering Committee (TSC) has agreed the calculated figures. The TSC is chaired by NHS Digital and has representation from the Department of Health and Social Care, UK Health Departments, NHS England and NHS Improvement, NHS Employers and the British Medical Association (BMA), which represents the interests of GPs.
The October 2020 feescales are set out in the General Medical Services Statement of Financial Entitlements (SFE) and its amendments. The primary purpose is to introduce new dispensing feescales at Parts 2 and 3 of Annex G to the SFE.
Part 2 is the dispensing feescale for contractors that are authorised or required to provide dispensing services, and Part 3 is the dispensing feescale for contractors that are not authorised or required to provide dispensing services.
This report shows how the agreed methodology is applied to the feescales in the current SFE to arrive at the proposed new feescales. The feescales are calculated using data for England and it is anticipated that they will also be accepted for use in Wales.
This report draws on information from the NHS Prescription Services in their “Dispensing Doctors Report” and “Personal Administration Report”. Both of these are published on the NHS Prescription Service website at the following address:
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/prescription-data/dispensing-data/pd1-reports
All spend and numbers of fees are taken from this NHS Prescription Services data.