HSCNI (Health and Social Care Northern Ireland) has recently informed us that following the change in special container status for all licensed medicines containing sodium valproate, valproic acid and semi sodium valproate, they have updated their special container payment rules.

These updates to the rules require work in ProScript Connect to change the functionality on how all special containers are processed, this work is underway but will not be released until a future update. Below are details of the special container rules provided by HSCBSO (Health and Social Care Business Services Organisation) and advice on how to manage these types of prescriptions in the meantime.

 

Special Container Rules Northern Ireland

You can access the guidance direct from the HSCBSO from the following link:

Sodium valproate, valproic acid and semisodium valproate Special Containers

HSCNI provided us with more detailed information directly in November 2023 which is included below:

Ordinary Special Containers

1. Single Pack
   1. Where quantity less than special container, payment is based on special container.
   2. Pack and half rule is applied for quantities greater than single special container (Half or more go up).
2. Multiple Packs
   1. Where quantity less than special container, payment is based on special container.
   2. Where quantity a multiple of single special container pack, payment is based on using that single special container pack.
   3. Where quantity is a multiple of more than one special container pack, payment is based on using multiples of largest special container pack.
   4. Pack and half rule is applied for quantities greater than single special container (Half or more go up).

Note: payment is based on the nearest number of full packs of a single size.

Ordinary Special Container Drug
Pack size 30		Pack size 30 and pack size 100
Prescribed quantity on prescription	Quantity to be coded and paid	Prescribed quantity on prescription	Quantity to be coded and paid	Pack used for payment
14	30	14	30	30
28	30	28	30	30
45	60	45	60	30
56	60	56	60	30
75	90	94	90	30
112	120	95	100	100
165	180	110	120	30

Sodium valproate, valproic acid and semisodium valproate Special Containers

1. Single Pack
   1. Where quantity less than special container, payment is based on special container.
   2. Pack and half rule is applied for quantities greater than single special container (Half or less go down).
2. Multiple Packs
   1. Where quantity less than special container, payment is based on special container.
   2. Where quantity a multiple of single special container pack, payment is based on using that single special container pack.
   3. Where quantity is a multiple of more than one special container pack, payment is based on using multiples of largest special container pack.
   4. Pack and half rule is applied for quantities greater than single special container (Half or less go down).

Note: payment is based on the nearest number of full packs of a single size.

 

Sodium Valproate 100mg tablets		Sodium Valproate 500mg gastro-resistant tablets
Pack size 30		Pack size 30 and pack size 100
Prescribed quantity on prescription	Quantity to be coded and paid	Prescribed quantity on prescription	Quantity to be coded and paid	Pack used for payment
14	30	14	30	30
28	30	28	30	30
45	30	45	30	30
56	60	56	60	30
76	90	95	90	30
112	120	96	100	100
160	150	168	180	30

Processing Special Container Prescriptions

Dispensing Special Containers

If there are multiple pack sizes of a special container ProScript Connect will use the current rules and calculate the nearest quantity based on any combination of pack sizes and not the nearest number of full packs of a single pack size.

With these changes when dispensing a special container item with multiple pack sizes you may need to choose the pack size to dispense and calculate the quantity supplied based on the rules above first. This would then need to be inputted as the Quantity when processing the prescription.

For all types of special container the rules on ProScript Connect work to calculate where there is half or less of a pack prescribed the quantity is rounded down to the nearest special container. Again, in these situations pharmacies may need to calculate the quantity they wish to supply, based on the rules above as these now differ.

Dispensing Sodium Valproate

To help when processing certain sodium valproate prescriptions, we have created multiple families in ProScript Connect for the most affected lines.

When processing a prescription for either Sodium valproate 200mg gastro-resistant tablets or Sodium valproate 500mg gastro-resistant tablets you will now be able to select from either a mixed family (packs of both 30 and 100), a family with just packs of 30 and a family with just packs of 100.

The special container rules will then only apply based on the pack sizes in that family.

For example, if a prescription for 168 tablets is received and the user selects the 30-pack size family. The special container rules will recognise this and allow the quantity to be rounded up to 180 to supply 6 packs of 30 tablets.

Dispensing exact quantity if clinically appropriate

When dispensing for MDS patients, pharmacists can use their professional judgement to decide whether dispensing whole packs or the exact quantity prescribed is appropriate.

To allow pharmacies to dispense the exact quantity of any special container the application setting ‘Allow Special Container Override’ should be set to Yes.

Last updated 09/11/2023