Page 31 - P4304.1-V110 PSUK Mag June 2025

The Scottish Drug Tariff
All dispensing contractors in the NHS are
maintained by NHS National Services working with the same Drug Tariff so to all
Scotland, serves a similar function to the intent and purpose we are all in the same
NHSBSA Drug Tariff in England and Wales— boat when it comes to reimbursement of
setting out the terms of reimbursement for generic prescription items. It therefore
drugs, appliances, and services provided stands to reason that generic purchasing
by community pharmacies and dispensing schemes will be designed to give us enough
doctors under the NHS. However, there are margin to keep our heads above water or
some notable differences in how generics we would all go down together.
and pricing are handled. While both
tariffs contain a section for generics, the Use your scheme to the maximum to not
Scottish Drug Tariff does not use the same miss out on vital discounts and loyalty
categorisation system (i.e., Categories A, payments. If you look at a great many of
C, and M) seen in the English Tariff. Instead, Category M prices which are in the April
reimbursement prices for generics in extract below, you will realise every penny
Scotland are largely determined through counts when prices are often below £1.
local pricing agreements and regular
reviews, reflecting Scottish-specific supply
and demand dynamics.
One key difference is in how profit
margins and price adjustments are
managed. In England/Wales, Category M
prices are actively adjusted to manage
pharmacy profits across the system—a
mechanism not mirrored in Scotland.
Scottish contractors’ remuneration and
reimbursement are subject to different
negotiation processes, overseen by the
Scottish Government and Community
Pharmacy Scotland (CPS). Furthermore,
Scotland maintains a strong focus on
promoting the use of generic prescribing,
but with an emphasis on supply continuity
and local availability, which can sometimes
result in different pricing outcomes or
product listings compared to the English/
Welsh Drug Tariff. These variations reflect
Scotland’s devolved approach to healthcare
policy and its efforts to ensure that
pharmacy services meet the specific needs
of the Scottish population.

The Drug Tariff | PS Magazine 31

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