Archives: Contractor Email

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

“My Waiting Times NI” Webpage

Contractors may wish to read more about a recently developed HSC webpage which aims to provide GPs, healthcare professionals and patients in Northern Ireland with access to the current average waiting times for outpatient assessments for elective care services within each Trust.  Further information is available here.

Northern Ireland Pharmacy Conference May 2023

The Northern Ireland Pharmacy Conference 2023 is taking place in the ICC Belfast on Wednesday 31st May.  Community pharmacists are invited to attend this free event and it is an opportunity to listen to, and interact with, pharmacy representatives across the region who will share their vision for the future of the pharmacy profession.  (Event flyer here)

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails.
Or report medicine shortages, pricing and staffing issues via the CPNI’s Medicine Shortage Reporter and Situation Reporter.
Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
Gerard Greene
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The third update of concessionary prices were granted today for May 2023:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Aciclovir 800mg tablets35£4.60
Amiloride 5mg tablets28£13.15
Bisacodyl 5mg gastro-resistant tablets60£4.45
Buprenorphine 8mg sublingual tablets sugar free7£4.40
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension70£4.20
Co-amilofruse 2.5mg/20mg tablets28£4.60
Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules30£7.95
Enalapril 2.5mg tablets28£7.74
Pramipexole 88microgram tablets30£2.59
Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets50£7.16
Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets28£1.91
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment30£25.92
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment60£39.45
Tizanidine 2mg tablets120£8.91

Concessionary prices will be paid against the usual code, no additional endorsements are needed.

Please continue to notify CPNI of any pricing issues you are experiencing via our new Medicine Shortage Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
SPPG issued correspondence today, 25 May 2023, in relation to HSC Secure Email.

SUMMARY

Contractors will note:

  • The size of all Community Pharmacy HSC Secure Email mailboxes has been increased from 200KB to 2GB.
  • Contractors are asked to continue to review the content of their mailbox in order to move or delete emails that are no longer required.
  • SPPG communications that are issued to community pharmacies are also saved to sites including the BSO website, HSC website, NI Formulary website, and the Primary Care Intranet, all of which can be accessed through the Pharmacy Portal. 
  • A guide to help pharmacy contractors securely delete emails that are no longer required has been developed and enclosed with the SPPG letter.
  • Contractors are reminded to check their HSC secure email account at least once per day to ensure important communications are received.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Review the SPPG correspondence and guidance and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices if you have any queries.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
SPPG issued correspondence today, 25 May 2023, in relation to ordering LFDs for the Pharmacy Collect Service.

SUMMARY

Contractors will note:

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Note the details in the correspondence and share with any relevant members of the pharmacy team.

Contractors should contact BSO Customer helpline 02895361301 in the first instance or their local SPPG Integrated Care office should they have any queries.  Contractors may also contact CPNI offices should they require assistance.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The second update of concessionary prices were granted today for May 2023:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£3.42
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£3.50
Atorvastatin 20mg tablets28£1.56
Bimatoprost 100micrograms/ml eye drops3£3.99
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension70£5.38
Desogestrel 75microgram tablets84£3.45
Flecainide 100mg tablets60£4.22
Hydroxychloroquine 200mg tablets60£5.45
Ivabradine 2.5mg tablets56£49.00
Ivabradine 5mg tablets56£29.98
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml eye drops2.5£2.08
Losartan 100mg / Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg tablets28£6.13
Nitrofurantoin 100mg tablets28£14.15
Nitrofurantoin 50mg tablets28£12.52
Omeprazole 10mg gastro-resistant capsules28£1.95
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free250£12.00
Perindopril erbumine 8mg tablets30£3.40
Phenoxymethylpenicillin 250mg tablets28£3.10
Pramipexole 180microgram tablets30£11.00
Promethazine hydrochloride 25mg tablets56£30.90
Risperidone 500microgram tablets20£3.26
Sodium cromoglicate 2% eye drops13.5£3.10
Spironolactone 50mg tablets28£3.99
Terbinafine 1% cream30£3.78
Topiramate 100mg tablets60£17.90
Topiramate 50mg tablets60£18.25
Trimethoprim 50mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£8.20
Valaciclovir 500mg tablets10£20.59

Concessionary prices will be paid against the usual code, no additional endorsements are needed.

Please continue to notify CPNI of any pricing issues you are experiencing via our new Medicine Shortage Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
SPPG issued correspondence on Monday 22 May 2023 providing an update in relation to the provision of PPE to community pharmacies.

SUMMARY

Contractors will note:

  • Prior to the pandemic, Community Pharmacies were responsible for sourcing (and paying for) their own PPE.
  • However during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Health provided PPE free of charge to the Community Pharmacy network since March 2020.
  • Updated IPC guidance recently issued by PHA recommends a return to the application of standard and transmission-based precautions when dealing with respiratory illnesses.
  • The recommendation for universal masking in all health and social care settings including care homes has been removed.
  • The latest guidance can be found at: https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/
  • In light of this position, the Department of Health has taken a decision to end the provision of free PPE to the Community Pharmacy network.
  • Therefore, Community Pharmacies should now revert to pre-pandemic arrangements for the procurement of PPE.
  • In the longer term, if PHA advice materially changes indicating higher risk due to COVID-19, this decision will be reviewed.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Note the details in the correspondence and share with any relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • Review the updated guidance.
  • Revert to pre-pandemic PPE ordering processes.

Contractors should contact CPNI offices should they have any queries.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive