A new online service allowing independent pharmacies to assess the performance of their prescription business has been launched by the NPA and the PSNC.

Check34 analyses pharmacies’ FP34 data, so that contractors can identify trends and anomalies in prescription payments. Pharmacies can track key performance indicators, enabling them to better manage and understand their NHS payments.

NPA and PSNC say that Check34 allows contractors to easily:  

• Monitor NHS payments and troubleshoot potential problem areas
• Compare their performance with other pharmacies at local and national level
• Identify lost revenue from prescription switches and under-claiming staff hours
• Monitor MUR and NMS performance
• Reconcile their FP34c declaration with the subsequent FP34 payment
• Review up to 24 months historical data
• Download data from all sections of the FP34 for business reporting and accounting purposes.

‘For a small business like me, without a big head office resource, this is of huge practical benefit. A typical independent owner has to keep all the plates – business, regulation and practice – spinning, so to have the business data side taken care of is a great help,’ said NPA chairman and independent contractor, Ian Strachan.

‘The system will give contractors a much clearer view of the payments being made to them and the trends in those. They can also use it to assess key performance indicators and to benchmark their performance against regional and national data, giving valuable insight for their business management and planning. We are pleased to be working with the NPA, who are in a position to make this system accessible to independents at scale due to their large membership base,’ said chair of PSNC’s resource, development and finance subcommittee and independent contractor, Mark Burdon.

The Check34 service will be available to all NPA members at no extra charge and non-members can subscribe for a fee.

Register your interest at www.npa.co.uk/check34