Alliance Healthcare's Direct Debit Scheme

• A highly efficient and cost effective method of settling your monthly trading account
• Fully protected by a reciprocal Direct Debit Guarantee between Alliance Healthcare and your bank/building society
• Ensures prompt payment of your monthly trading account and therefore avoids any potential loss of discount for late arrival of your cheque (postal strikes/handing to Alliance Healthcare driver)
• A more acceptable form of payment for monthly accounts in the light of reduction of cheques used within the market place
• The scheme can be used for the payment of normal trading accounts but not at present for settlement of extended credit, where this has been agreed
• The scheme can be used for payment of multiple accounts through just one debit, providing all accounts are in the same name and through the same bank

Some typical questions explained:

Q. How do I arrange to join your scheme?
A. You can request a Direct Debit mandate from your Pharmacy Development Manager or by phoning Alliance Healtcare’s Customer Finance Department contact Andrew Parker on 0208 391 9672 Or Tamara Smith on 0208 391 7128.

Q. When can I join the scheme?
A. You can join at any time, although a newly signed, original mandate form must be in Alliance Healthcare’s hands by the 10th of the month for payment to be collected for that month.

Q. When is the payment taken from my account?
A. Payment is taken on the second working day of the month, similar to the date on which the cheque is taken and not on the last working day.

Q. Why is the payment not taken on the last working day of the month?
A. The short delay allows for the NHS payment from the PPA/CSA to be received on to your bank account.

Q. Can I cancel my Direct Debit at any time?
A. Yes, to cancel your Direct Debit written instructions must be given to your bank/building society and Alliance Healthcare. Your instructions must be received by the 25th of the month at the latest. Other payment methods must be immediately put in place to avoid late payment and loss of discount.

Q. What are the advantages to my joining the scheme?

A.	a) No need to ensure that there is someone around to sign the cheque. b) Reduced bank charges as transmission costs for processing of Direct Debits is up to 50%* less than cheques. c) Prompt allowance of discount. d) Reduced costs in respect of envelopes and postage.

Q. What if I dispute the amount charged?
A. You must contact your bank/building society who will arrange full reimbursement for any disputed amounts under the Direct Debit Guarantee arrangement. It is however advisable to also contact Alliance Healthcare to discuss the dispute first, since they will aim to solve it quickly.

Q. How will I know how much is going to be charged to my bank account?
A. Your Alliance Healthcare trading account statement is sent to you within the first week of the month indicating the amount which will be charged. You have up until the 25th of the month to query the amount.

Q. Direct Debit vs BACS payment or Internet transfer
A. As previously mentioned, Direct Debit payments are taken from your bank account on the second working day of the month. Payments made by BACS however must be credited to Alliance Healthcare’s bank account by the last working day of the month. This means your bank account will be debited 3 to 7 working days earlier to make sure payments are received on time. In the case of Internet transfers, the money must be debited from your bank account 3 to 7 Working days before the last working day of the month. Taking into account weekend and bank holidays.

Q. What about “green” issues?
A. Direct Debit is an automatic payment method and the amount being claimed is detailed on your monthly statement. To enable cross matching to the Alliance Healthcare bank account payment by any other method still entails the sending of a “remittance advice” to Alliance Healthcare, with all the associated costs and usage of external sources.

* Depending on your own specific bank money transmission tariff.