Prescriber Endorsement 'FS' for STIs

Free treatment for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) is provided by the NHS from sexual health clinics. To improve access for patients, all prescribers will be able to endorse prescriptions for the treatment of STIs with ‘FS’ to allow prescription items to be provided free-of-charge in various settings (including on FP10 prescriptions).

The endorsement will not be automatically applied to medicines used to treat STIs and there will not be a specific list of medicines that can be endorsed with FS. The prescriber will need to manually add this to prescriptions and thereby indicate that the item prescribed is for the treatment of an STI and should be provided to the patient free-of-charge. This will allow prescribers to use their clinical discretion to confirm that the medicine prescribed is for the treatment of STIs. Only prescribers will be able to add the FS endorsement.

New versions of the paper forms, will not carry an exemption check box for items endorsed as FS. For EPS dispensing systems, a new category worded 'was prescribed free-of-charge (FOC) sexual health medication' will be added. This category will have the Electronic Reimbursement Endorsement Message (EREM) code 0017, letter Y, on dispensing systems for items endorsed as FS by the prescriber.

 Where FS has been added as a handwritten endorsement, for example, on a computer-generated form, this should be counter-signed in the usual way.

If patients are prescribed FS endorsed STI medicines mixed with medicines they would normally pay for then a prescription charge should be taken for the non FS endorsed items.

Pharmacy contractors will be required to place all FS endorsed paper prescriptions in the red separator and then submit to NHS BSA.