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Endorsement guidance

Endorsement guidance

This is a quick reference guide to the prescription endorsements which pharmacy teams may need to use. Accurate endorsement is vital to ensuring correct payment from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).

Pharmacy teams are able to download the Dispensing Factsheet: Prescription endorsements for more information.

Watch our video where we our Drug Tariff experts guide you through the endorsement process, outlining endorsing and submission good practice here.

General endorsements

The guidance below is intended as a quick reference only.

Prescribed item Required endorsement
A generic medicine listed in Part VIIIA of the Drug Tariff.
  • Pack size — where  multiple pack sizes are listed.
A generic medicine listed in Part VIIIB of the Drug Tariff.
  •  SP or ED— where appropriate.
A generic medicine which is not listed in Part VIIIA of the Drug Tariff.
  • Brand name or manufacturer/supplier; and
  • Pack size — where there are multiple pack sizes available.

If the product does not have a price listed on the Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d)*, also endorse:

  • Net price before discount and exc. VAT
An unlicensed medicine (or special) or import which is not listed in Part VIIIB of the Drug Tariff and has been sourced under a manufacturer’s specials/importer’s licence** issued by the MHRA.
  • Amount dispensed over pack size used;
  • Invoice price per pack size from which the order was supplied less any discount or rebate;
  • Manufacturers’/importers’ MHRA license number;
  • Batch number of the product supplied;
  • SP — for costs incurred in obtaining the item

(more information at psnc.org.uk/specials) Dispensing Factsheet – Unlicensed specials and imports
An unlicensed medicine (or special) which is not listed in Part VIIIB and has been manufactured under the Section 10 exemption from the Medicines Act 1968 (either by the contractor or a third party).
  • Names;
  • Quantities;
  • Cost of the ingredients used in preparing the product; and
  • ED — for costs incurred in dispensing a product prepared under the Section 10 exemption.

(more information at psnc.org.uk/specials).Dispensing Factsheet – Unlicensed specials and imports
A branded medicine.
  • Pack size

If the product does not have a price listed in the dm+d, also endorse:

  • Net price — before discount and exc. VAT
A generic appliance which is only listed generically in Part IX of the Drug Tariff.
  • Pack size — where multiple pack sizes are available.

For elastic hosiery, prescriptions should indicate:

  • Total quantity to be supplied;
  • Description of the article (e.g. circular knit, below knee); and
  • Compression class.
A generic appliance which is listed by brand or manufacturer in Part IX of the Drug Tariff.
  • Brand or manufacturer’s name as listed in the Tariff; and
  • Pack size — only where there are multiple pack sizes listed in the Tariff.

Note: some appliances have default prices listed at the beginning of the relevant Drug Tariff section, which are used for pricing in this situation. These are: catheters, elasticated tubular bandages, absorbent perforated plastic film faced dressings, permeable non-woven synthetic adhesive tape BP 1988, and peak flow meters. To be reimbursed for any of the above products which may be priced higher than the default price, the prescription must be returned to the prescriber for amendment to include a specific brand name as listed in the Drug Tariff.
A branded appliance which is listed by brand or manufacturer in Part IX of the Drug Tariff.
  • Pack size — where there are multiple pack sizes listed.

*The Dictionary of Medicines and Devices is the database used by the NHS to standardise the language used to describe medicines within the NHS. This database also contains information regarding the price of medicines. Pharmacy staff can access this database by visiting https://apps.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/DMDBrowser/DMDBrowser.do. 

**The manufacturer’s specials/importer’s license number can be found on the invoice or CoC/CoA for the product.

Specific endorsements

Below are the most commonly used endorsements, but pharmacy staff will need to check for an item’s eligibility.

Category Required endorsement
Broken Bulk
  • BB; and
  • amount dispensed over pack size used (more information at psnc.org.uk/bb).
Extemporaneously Dispensed
Hosiery
  • Compression class;
  • Article style;
  • Quantity;
  • Knit; and
  • Made to measure — if appropriate.
Instalment Dispensing
  • Date;
  • Quantity; and
  • Pharmacist initials for each instalment (more information at psnc.org.uk/mda).
Measured and Fitted
  • MF
Not Dispensed
  • ND and score through the item in the prescribing area.
Out of Pocket Expenses
  • OOP on paper prescriptions or XP on EPSR2 prescription;
  • Name or description of the charge; and
  • Price paid (more information at psnc.org.uk/oop).
Packaged Doses (for oral liquid methadone)
  • PD; and
  • The number of additional doses packaged separately (more information at psnc.org.uk/methadone).
Prescriber Contacted
  • PC;
  • The missing information; and
  • Date and initials.
Prescriber Not Contacted
  • PNC;
  • The missing information; and
  • Date and initials.
Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs)

There are two types of SSPs that may be granted:

• Single Dispensed Product SSP – where a prescribed item is replaced by one replacement item
• Multiple Dispensed Product SSP – where a prescribed item is replaced by two or more items.

See our SSP endorsing guidance for details of how to correctly endorse a prescription for an SSP.
Trusses
  • Single or double;
  • Position; and
  • Type.
Unlicensed Specials and Imports

Prescriber endorsements

Below is a list of the endorsements which only a prescriber can add to a prescription item.

Endorsement What it means for dispensing
ACBS No impact on dispensing. If an item which is found on the Borderline Substances list (Part XV of DT) has not been endorsed by the prescriber, this product can still be dispensed as it isn’t a compulsory requirement (but the prescriber may be questioned by the Regional Team later).
SLS If required, this endorsement must have been made by the prescriber before dispensing. If a medicine which is found in the Selected List Scheme (Part XVIIIB of DT) has not been endorsed by the prescriber, the prescription would need to be returned to the prescriber for amendment — pharmacy staff cannot make this endorsement themselves.
FS FS enables prescribers to endorse prescriptions for STIs to indicate to dispensers that the patient should not be charged. The FS endorsement should not be manually added to the EPS dosage instructions field as this would not allow a pharmacy to supply any treatment for STIs free-of-charge against NHS prescriptions.
Either ‘OC‘, ‘CC‘ or ‘♀’ This endorsement is the prescriber declaring that it is to be used for contraceptive purposes. No patient charge is payable for this item.
Bulk Prescription This endorsement is the prescriber declaring that the criteria for issuing bulk prescriptions have been met. No patient charge is payable for this item.

Electronic Prescription Service Endorsement Guidance

This endorsement document is a guide to the endorsement codes used for electronic prescription dispensing.  The guidance has been jointly produced by PSNC, the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHSBSA.

Methadone and Instalment Dispensing

These endorsement guides have been designed by PSNC to help pharmacy contractors to endorse their FP10MDA prescriptions correctly.

Related Resources

PSNC Briefing 011/21: Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) updated endorsing guidance

PSNC webinar on endorsing and submission good practice.

Dispensing Factsheet: Prescription Endorsement


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