A new offering from the NHS prescription service cheaper hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been baffled after the website crashed just hours after the plan launched.
HRT should have been available from Saturday with a prepayment prepayment certificate (PPC), which is valid for 12 months and costs £19.30 per year.
But health officials have apologized after women were denied access to the certificate, which offers HRT prescriptions at a reduced cost, because the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website was down.
The NHSBSA issued an apology and said it is working to resolve the issue, adding that women can reverse their certificate if they purchase it at a later date.
A spokesperson said: “We are aware that some people are experiencing difficulties purchasing an HRT PPC this morning following the launch of the new service.
“We are working to find a solution as soon as possible and apologize for the inconvenience.
“We can reassure people who want to buy a certificate that if they can’t buy one today, they can use their certificate retroactively if they buy it at a later date.
“If you need your HRT medication before purchasing the HRT-PPC, ask your pharmacist for an FP57 receipt when you pay for your HRT medication. You can get a refund from the pharmacy.
“The HRT PPC can start from April 1, 2023.”
Certificate that helps an estimated 400,000 women save money
The government estimates the certificate will help 400,000 women save hundreds of pounds a year and make treatment more accessible.
Women can get the certificate online – when the website is back up and running – or in some pharmacies, and it can be used as many times as needed over the 12-month period.
The certificate gives access to eligible HRT items, including patches, tablets, diaphragms, and gels and creams that are applied to the skin.
According to DHSC figures, around 15 percent of women aged 45 to 64 in England are currently prescribed HRT.
Carolyn Harris, Labor MP in Wales, tweeted: “The day has arrived that women going through menopause have been waiting for – the annual £HRT prepayment certificate is launched…
“But does anyone actually have access to the site?
“This has been fought so hard by women and they can’t wait any longer.”