Official government sources and repeat prescription data going back to 2014 has found that we have been paid less by the Government in NHS fees by £4.2 million over the past five years compared to an average high street pharmacy.
In October 2018, the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health and Primary Care, Steve Brine, provided official government data highlighting the cost difference in prescription items based on different pharmacy types. The data shows Pharmacy2U is paid 27p less by the NHS, in a combination of lower Establishment Fees and potential Quality Payments, for every item dispensed, compared with the average mean pharmacy. This adds up to 38p per dispensed item when factoring in higher ‘clawback’ rates, which is an adjustment made by the NHS to manage overall retained medicine margins in the pharmacy industry.
38p per prescription item ordered since April 2014 equals a total of £4,243,5202 that Pharmacy2U was paid less by the NHS. We’re paid lower fees by dispensing more medicines online from a single location, so spreads fixed NHS fees over a much greater volume of prescription items.
Mark Livingstone, CEO of Pharmacy2U, says: “This data highlights the role online pharmacy can play in reducing the strain on the NHS. Technology has transformed industries from retail to travel, introducing cost efficiencies and improving customer experience, and is finally making a significant mark on healthcare.”
To find out how much Pharmacy2U is paid in NHS fees, click here
