Where a patient holds a valid Hormone Replacement Therapy Prescription Prepayment Certificate (HRT PPC) and they present a mixed prescription, it should be returned to the prescriber so that separate prescriptions can be issued.
All listed HRT items should be prescribed on separate prescriptions from other items.
For prescriptions that only contain a HRT item and free of charge contraceptives, separate prescriptions are not necessary from a prescription processing perspective.
If a patient holds a valid HRT PPC at the point of dispensing, contractors should select the HRT PPC category or code on dispensing systems.
For prescriptions that only contain the HRT items and items endorsed ‘FS’ for free supply, if the patient is exempt because they hold a valid HRT PPC, the HRT PPC category should be selected on dispensing systems.
Urgent need for items on a mixed prescription
If a mixed prescription is issued in error, and the patient holds an HRT PPC at the point of dispensing, either the HRT items listed, or the non-HRT items may be supplied if there’s an urgent need. The patient and pharmacist much reach agreement to do so.
The items not dispensed must be marked as ‘not dispensed’. The patient would need to get a new prescription for the items not dispensed. If the items not dispensed are HRT items, they should be prescribed on a separate prescription for each item.
If there’s an urgent need for the HRT items listed and the other non-HRT items, then the HRT PPC exemption cannot be used. This is unless the other items are free of charge contraceptives or are endorsed with FS.
The patient would need to pay the charges for all items dispensed and be issued with a FP57 Receipt and Refund form. They’d be able to claim a refund for the listed HRT for which the HRT PPC is accepted.