PPA and elctronic reading of Rx items

[frankiethepill]

The improvements program where the ppa read Rx's by machine is interesting. I queried with PSNC whether or not additions by a gp to a 'dosage' line on a Rx to get the drug he is after are read by the machine at the ppa- I gather that the ppa machine only reads the first two lines of a drug entry. I queried with PSNC if a suspect Rx could be put in the BB and calendar pack bundle to ensure it is read by human- apparently NOT- if not a BB or CP claim it is ignored. Adding some ink to the Rx is frowned upon- the GP can do it but we obviously aren't trustworthy enough. as usual.

They say the new system will pick up most Rx's correctly. Interestingly the example the PSNC quoted at me was

Rx Hypromellose 0.3% Eye Drops
mitte 10ml
sig: To be used as directed. Preservative Free

If the computer doesn't pick this up it equates (at the prices I was quoted recently) to a ~£25 difference. Thanks a bunch Mr PPA

[johnep]

44 returns this week, a couple of mepilex scripts and pretty well all the rest were glucosamine. Why can't the ppa set up a price list and use that if script not clearly endorsed. Oh, several were!.
johnep

[frankiethepill]

I wonder how they sort out the exemptions- does the machine read the DOB or age from the front of the script- I keep getting just a small number of transfers each month (nearly always to the chargeable bundle, surprisingly enough). Last month it was 8- not many I know but still ~£50 from MY pocket. I don't suppose that many PPA personnel would happily hand over £50 from their own pocket without any form of documentaion to justify?! And I check my bundle to the PPA each month MOST carefully- it's a matter of principle now.

Annoyed, of Dorset

[Sir_Dispensalot]

we know that the ppa was set up to work out the best possible way of twisting out of paying us for what we dispense (joke) and now it seems like they've achieved it!

[frankiethepill]

You're right there- and the PSNC seems to have no power. Any query put to them which turns out to show an anomaly in the system and the reply seems to be along the lines of ' we'll see what we can do' or 'we are waiting for a decision'. Always totally passive. And there are so many anomalies- I've found quite a few in the SC lists- another one today which I'll put to them tomorrow.

One that gets my goat- exemptions on age grounds >60 or <16 are automatic. Supply of contraceptive drugs is not, and these need a declaration. What stupid game are we all playing. It just shows how little they have always trusted us, whereas the prescribers... well that's a different story. They have so much more clout. I could of course dream that the new pharmacy body, the one that's going to support and protect us (ha! ha!)...., would fight on our behalf. That is of course if anyone joins it. A straw poll among my peers was not very positive on that front, not without a complete rebuild from scratch again. Any of the old guard in there again and we'll be back just were we started