The Category M prices for April 2021 have been announced on the NHS Prescription Services website which can be found here.
This quarter the price changes have been announced later than usual.
What to look out for?
The top ten price drops can be seen below:
| Drug Name | Pack size | Change |
| Liothyronine 20microgram tablets | 28 | -£18.86 |
| Amantadine 100mg capsules | 56 | -£14.81 |
| Exemestane 25mg tablets | 30 | -£14.48 |
| Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets | 90 | -£9.10 |
| Ibandronic acid 50mg tablets | 28 | -£8.93 |
| Tolterodine 2mg tablets | 56 | -£6.36 |
| Tolterodine 1mg tablets | 56 | -£6.18 |
| Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules | 5 | -£5.47 |
| Sertraline 100mg tablets | 28 | -£4.56 |
| Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets | 50 | -£4.52 |
For these generics, the reimbursement price will be significantly lower from April 1st 2021, it follows that the purchase price of these items may fall, so run down stock and check your purchase price of these items from April 1st 2021. If you are paying MORE than the new Drug Tariff price you will need to ensure the manufacturer or wholesaler is included in the main body of the prescription as follows:
Sertraline 100mg tablets x 28 (Teva)
Take one daily
Your reimbursement for this pack will then be based on the Teva list price for April, rather than the Part VIIIA Drug Tariff price.
The top ten price rises can be seen below:
| Drug Name | Pack size | Change |
| Midodrine 5mg tablets | 100 | £80.21 |
| Midodrine 2.5mg tablets | 100 | £56.74 |
| Fusidic acid 1% modified-release eye drops | 5 | £37.43 |
| Diltiazem 60mg modified-release tablets | 84 | £24.38 |
| Brinzolamide 10mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops | 5 | £9.21 |
| Ropinirole 1mg tablets | 84 | £8.11 |
| Desmopressin 10micrograms/dose nasal spray | 60 | £8.08 |
| Mebeverine 200mg modified-release capsules | 60 | £7.60 |
| Primidone 250mg tablets | 100 | £6.78 |
| Tamoxifen 20mg tablets | 30 | £6.62 |
The reimbursement price is rising and so the purchase price is likely to rise in most cases, therefore it is worth ordering up on some of these lines, depending on your actual monthly use. You should check the purchase price and NOT over order on expensive lines which you rarely use.
For a full list of Cat M price changes please email contact@dispensingdoctorexperts.co.uk for a free copy. This list also contains all basic Drug Tariff prices and can be sorted various ways to make your job so much easier as a busy dispensary manager.
