Just a reminder that the UK Government scheme to make HRT more affordable for users is now underway.
As of April 1st women in England have been able to access cheaper hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help with menopause symptoms by simply completing a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC).
The new HRT PPC was rolled out with the aim of reducing prescription costs to just £19.30 per year and can be used against a list of eligible HRT items that includes patches, tablets and topical preparations. Patients can use the HRT PPC as many times as they need across the year.
Making HRT more accessible by reducing the cost is one of the ways the government is making menopause support more readily available to women, alongside working with suppliers to encourage and support HRT supply to meet growing demand.
How to use the new PPC
There are a few different ways to get the HRT PPC:
- online on the NHSBSA website: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/hrt-ppc
- in person at some pharmacies
- if you’re deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the textphone (or minicom) to contact the NHSBSA using the text relay service. Dial 18001 then the relevant phone number. This will be available from 25 May 2023
- the NHSBSA also offers a telephone translation service and can provide documents in large print or Braille on request
Patients can call 0300 330 2089 for help and support.
To use your HRT PPC, ask your prescriber for your HRT items on a separate prescription to any other medicines you are prescribed (one prescription per item). This is to ensure the prescription can be processed correctly at the pharmacy.
Take your prescriptions and HRT PPC to a pharmacy and use it as many times as you need over 12 months.
Before getting the HRT PPC:
- check that you’re not already eligible for free NHS prescriptions using the eligibility checker on the NHSBSA website
- check that your medicine is covered by the HRT PPC – see the list of eligible HRT medication
- check whether a 3 or 12-month general PPC is more suitable for you – it covers all NHS prescriptions, not just HRT items, and may be more cost-effective if you are prescribed other medicines as well as HRT
The HRT PPC will be valid for 12 months and there is no limit on the number of times the certificate is used before it expires. You do not need to get it on 1 April 2023 – get it just before your next prescription to maximise your use of it over the year.
