Archives: Contractor Email

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

Living Well Service 2025/26

  • The first Living Well campaign for 2025/26 is ‘Be Cancer Aware’ and will run from 1 April 2025 until 31 May 2025.
  • Resources for this campaign can be found on the BSO website here.
  • To support pharmacy teams in delivering the campaign, NICPLD are facilitating a Talk Cancer online workshop.
  • This will be delivered by Cancer Research UK on Wednesday 16 April 2025 from 7-9pm.
  • The workshop is limited to 40 people and more information including how to sign up can be found here.

Pharmacy First Services

  • SPPG have recently confirmed the extension of two Pharmacy First Services.
  • The Pharmacy First Service for Sore Throats Winter 24/25 has been extended for two months until 31 May 2025.
  • The Pharmacy First Pilot Service for Shingles has been extended for a further three months.
  • Resources and further information can be found on the BSO website here.

Pharmacy Forum Calculations Training

  • CPNI has been advised by the Pharmacy Forum that they have places remaining at their upcoming in-person Calculations workshops for FTY trainees.  
  • Workshops will be held from 9.30am-3pm on 5th and 12th April, in University of Ulster Belfast Campus (Room BC-03-123A).
  • The cost for attendance at a workshop is £40 and registration is available here.
  • Expert facilitators will be on hand to work through sample questions and support trainees.

Irish News – Wednesday 2nd April 2025

NI pharmacies call for support after ‘record’ funding deal in England https://x.com/irish_news/status/1907032777779761577

Community Pharmacies across Northern Ireland can now sign up to the Daffodil Standards for palliative and end of life care

The Daffodil Standards are a joint initiative between the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Marie Curie – Northern Ireland that aim to build on the high standard of care already provided to palliative care patients and their families by community pharmacy teams.

More information is available here.

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails.

Or report medicine shortages, pricing and staffing issues via CPNI’s Medicine Pricing/Supply 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
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Spring 2025 COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service 
Dear Contractor
SPPG have issued correspondence on 4 April 2025 relating to the COVID-19 Spring 2025 Vaccination Programme.

SUMMARY

  • The Spring 2025 vaccination programme officially begins on 7 April 2025 and vaccination can be begin if all of the following are in place:
    • A legal PGD/Vaccination protocol is in place and is authorised.
    • Service documentation has been completed including submission of the contract.
    • COVID-19 stock has been received.
  • Community pharmacies can now place orders for vaccine stock with Movianto.
  • Turnaround time for vaccine delivery will initially be up to 5 working days.
  • SPPG have requested that orders are only placed if there is confirmed demand.
  • Orders for vaccines should not exceed the quantity needed for 2 weeks activity.
  • Pharmacies paired with a care home(s) have been notified of their quota via email.
  • The minimisation of vaccine wastage guidance can be referred to when ordering stock and planning vaccinations.
  • Primary VMS account:
    • The password for VMS is the same as the password for the Portal. Changing the Portal password will automatically change the VMS password to match this.
  • Second VMS account:
    • All users have been provided with a second VMS login at the time of account setup. If you no longer have a record of the password please contact Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net.
    • On first log in, you will be prompted to set up multifactor authentication (MFA), and you can use a different device to that used to authenticate the primary account.
    • Two users can access VMS simultaneously which may be useful for offsite recording.
    • Any issues encountered  with access can be directed to Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net with a screenshot of the error message.
  • Community pharmacies can access the PHA vaccinator pool. This is a free service to community pharmacies and more information can be seen here.
  • The PHA have produced updated COVID-19 vaccination training slides which can be accessed here.

ACTION

Contractors should review the correspondence issued on 4 April 2025 and share this information with relevant members of the pharmacy team. 

Any queries regarding the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service should be directed to Greg Miller  (Greg.Miller@hscni.net) or Grainne McMahon (Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Spring 2025 COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service 
Dear Contractor
  • SPPG have issued correspondence on 4 April 2025 relating to the COVID-19 Spring 2025 Vaccination Programme.
  • The vaccination protocol for the COVID-19 Spring 2025 programme has been uploaded on to the BSO website.
  • Contractors are asked to share this information with all relevant staff members.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Pharmacy First Service for Uncomplicated UTIs
Dear Contractor
  • SPPG have issued correspondence on 3 April 2025 relating to the Pharmacy First Service for Uncomplicated UTIs.
  • The current PGDs for use in the delivery of the Pharmacy First UTI Service will expire on 30 April 2025.
  • Updated PGDs for nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim are now available on the BSO website here.
  • Service providers must use the most up-to-date version of the PGDs:
    • The updated PGDs need to be organisationally signed and signed by individual pharmacists who are delivering the service via PGD.
    • Previous printed versions should be destroyed.

Contractors are asked to share this information with all members of the pharmacy team.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Spring 2025 COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service 
Dear Contractor
  • SPPG have issued correspondence on 3 April 2025 relating to the COVID-19 Spring 2025 Vaccination Programme.
  • The Patient Group Direction (PGD) for the Spring 2025 COVID-19 vaccine has been uploaded onto the BSO website.
  • Contractors are asked to share this information with all relevant staff members.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor

Correspondence has been issued by SPPG on 3 April 2025 regarding the Community Pharmacy Stop Smoking Service.

SUMMARY

  • The service contract has been revised and all service providers are required to submit acceptance of the new contract for the service from 1 April 2025 via MS forms using the following link.
  • SPPG have requested the contract to be returned by 15 April 2025.
  • If a contractor does not currently provide the Stop Smoking Service but wishes to do so, they are requested to contact the PHA for more information.
  • The service specification, quality standards, and other relevant information can be found on the BSO website.
  • The contractor must ensure all staff are trained and competent to deliver the service in line with the service specification, and must ensure they adhere to Appendix A: Capacities and responsibilities in respect of the processing of personal data.
  • The service is available for the whole population, with a particular focus on three priority groups as set out in the DoH ‘Ten year tobacco control strategy for Northern Ireland‘:
    • Children and young people
    • Pregnant women and their partners who smoke
    • Disadvantaged people.
  • Please note, support for vapers who wish to stop is not part of the service specification but is currently under review.
  • The Elite system is the main data collection tool for the community pharmacy Stop Smoking Service and it is essential that all clients accessing the service are recorded.
    • The required monitoring information for each patient should be recorded on Elite in a timely manner.
  • The fees paid for service provision are processed by BSO based on entry of a patient record on to the Elite system.
  • NRT can only be provided on a pharmacy voucher (PV1) for patients enrolled in the service and recorded on to Elite.
    • An assurance exercise in 2024 identified some pharmacy voucher claims for patients who were not recorded on the Elite system.
    • Follow-up with the affected pharmacies will occur over the coming weeks.
  • There are no reimbursement arrangements in place for NRT supplied on a HS21 by IP pharmacists through the Stop Smoking Service as this is not included in the service specification currently.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Review the SPPG correspondence issued on 3 April 2025 regarding the Stop Smoking Service and share with all relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • Return a contract to SPPG by 15 April 2025.

If you have any queries in relation to this correspondence, please contact PHATobaccoAdmin@hscni.net.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive