This line will be deleted from Part IX of the January 2023 Drug Tariff.

PSNC is advising contractors to only order the stock they need to fulfil prescriptions.

“Any prescriptions submitted for payment after submission of your December bundle – submitted by January 5 – would not be passed for payment and returned as disallowed,” PSNC wrote in statement released today (October 18).

This is because only devices listed in the Appliances section in Part IX of the Drug Tariff are eligible for NHS prescriptions,” PSNC specified.

Pharmacists should make patients aware of the discontinuation and suggest they contact their GP.

In a related development, the charity Diabetes UK is advising patients using Freestyle Libre 1 sensors that their GP should switch them to the Freestyle Libre 2 version.

The availability of FreeStyle Libre 2 or FreeStyle Libre 3 sensors will not be impacted by the discontinuation of the first version of the sensor, PSNC said.

Submit prescriptions to NHS BSA in time

PSNC has also urged contractors to send their electronic prescription service (EPS) claims and paper prescriptions to the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) “no later than the fifth day of the month following that in which supply was made”.

The negotiator added: “In December, ensure that any outstanding EPS claim notifications (CNs) and paper prescriptions are submitted with your December bundle by January 5. For EPS prescriptions, contractors should be mindful of the EPS five-day window”.

The FreeStyle Libre sensor was added to the NHS drug tariff in 2017. From April 2019, NHS England pledged to fund access to the device for people with type 1 diabetes.

An Abbott spokesperson told C+D today that the manufacturer had informed healthcare professionals in the UK of its intention to discontinue the FreeStyle Libre 1 sensors last month.

“We continue to develop our FreeStyle Libre product portfolio as technology evolves, to bring the latest innovation to people living with diabetes,” they added.

Changing to the FreeStyle Libre 2 system will be “simple” for users, as it offers “the same benefits as the original” one plus optional alarms, the spokesperson commented.