The SAF was introduced in December 2016, consolodating a range of payments into one single fee.
The SAF replaces the separate fees paid for:
- Professional fees - also known as dispensing fee
- Practice payment
- Repeat dispensing fees
- Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) monthly allowance
A SAF is paid automatically for all eligible items, no additional endorsement is required.
The SAF for items dispensed from August 2021 until 31 March 2022 is set at £1.29 per item.
The SAF for items dispensed from 1 April 2022 onwards is set at £1.27.
Further information on professional fees can be found in Part IIIA of the Drug Tariff.