Pharmacists could lose out on thousands of pounds in quality payments because they are not properly updating their NHS website profile.

More than 4,800 contractors have, to date, failed to update incorrect information or validate accurate information across the three required sections of their pharmacy’s NHS.uk profile, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) said on Wednesday (23 January).

The negotiator is warning pharmacy contractors that they must do so by 15 February in order to be eligible for the quality payments scheme (QPS).

 

Up to date and verified

 

To qualify for the payment, contractors must meet the NHS website’s gateway criteria by ensuring the information about their pharmacy on NHS.uk is up to date and verified. This information covers the pharmacy’s opening hours, facilities and services.

Information on pharmacies’ opening hours must include whether and when the are open on Easter Sunday and the four bank holidays in April and May.

Facilities include, for example, whether there is parking and a consultation room, while pharmacy services include things like medicines use reviews (MURs) and the new medicine service (NMS).

If the information across all three sections on the pharmacy’s NHS.uk profile is correct, the contractor is still required to verify it. If any of it is incorrect, it must be updated and verified.

 

Thousands at risk on not qualifying

 

The latest NHS Business Services Authority weekly gateway criteria report shows that 2,650 contractors have not updated or validated any information on their NHS website profile. A further 2,207 pharmacies have only completed one or two of the required three sections.

PSNC said: ‘Urgent action is required to ensure all three sections have been updated/validated otherwise these contractors will fail the NHS website gateway criterion and will not be eligible for a quality payment.

Contractors are reminded that even if one or more sections are correct, they still need to log into their profile and validate this correct information during the required time period [by 11.59pm on 15 February] as well as update any information in the three sections that is no longer correct.’