COVID-19 Costs: Claiming period begins
The six-week period for community pharmacy contractors to claim for the extra costs they incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic begins today, Monday 5th July 2021.
Under the deal reached between PSNC and HM Government last week, COVID-19 cost claims must be made between 5th July and 15th August 2021 using an agreed claim form provided by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), and payments will be made on 1st October 2021.
NHSBSA webpage and claim form for COVID-19 costs
Contractors can claim for specific categories of COVID-19 related costs incurred between 1st March 2020 and 31st March 2021 for the delivery of NHS pharmaceutical services. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has set out four categories that can be claimed for as follows:
- Additional staff costs due to COVID-19;
- Costs incurred to make premises COVID-19 secure;
- IT and communication costs to support remote working and virtual patient contact due to COVID-19; and
- Notified closures for infection control purposes (maximum 14 days).
The NHSBSA claim form asks contractors to set out their costs according to these categories and to indicate the evidence they have for them. DHSC has not set out detailed evidence requirements so this will need careful thought, particularly as contractors will also need to provide documentation to evidence their claims should the NHSBSA ask to see it. Contractors with two or more branches will be able to submit a single claim and provide documentation to evidence claims at a company level.
Support from PSNC
To help contractors to make their claims, PSNC has issued the following guidance. Note, these are part of a series of guides that PSNC will be issuing to support contractors in making their claims.
PSNC Briefing 016/21: Funding for COVID-19 related costs – summary and FAQs
Briefing describing the arrangements agreed between PSNC and DHSC to reimburse community pharmacy contractors for the extra costs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic alongside answers to a number of questions about the process and the deal.
PSNC Briefing 020/21: COVID-19 Costs – Background and NHSBSA claim form overview (new)
More in-depth information about the COVID-19 costs claiming process is now available in this briefing. We will be adding further information to this as it becomes available, and separate guidance will follow on openings, change of ownership and permanent closures, and claim-related FAQs.
Online workshops/webinars
PSNC will also be running online workshops to help contractors. Learn more about these here.
Further resources will be issued in the coming days and weeks. Please sign up to our emails to ensure you receive these as soon as they are ready.
