Please Note the Correct and Updated Link to the Survey.
Dear Contractor
CPNI issued a contractor update (CPNI CU#230428A) on 28th April regarding the Department of Health NI Technician and Support Staff Survey. The information is provided again below along with an updated survey link. The closing date for completion of the survey has been extended to 14th June 2023.
The Department of Health NI issued correspondence on 6th April 2023 inviting all individual pharmacy technicians and pharmacy support staff to complete an online survey. The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer has advised that the survey is designed to provide a better understanding of the current numbers and skills mix in the pharmacy workforce, and to provide an opportunity for pharmacy colleagues to share their views. The Department has also developed a printable flyer containing background information for pharmacy personnel and a QR link to the survey.
SUMMARY
Contractors will note:
The survey is aimed at pharmacy technicians and pharmacy support staff in all sectors, including community pharmacy.
The survey branches into different sets of questions depending on the area in which the respondent works, their role, and any qualifications they may hold. Therefore staff members may be asked different questions depending on their individual circumstances.
The closing date for completion is extended to 14th June 2023.
DoH advises that the results of the survey will be used in the implementation of the Pharmacy Workforce Review 2020, which seeks to deliver a sustainable pharmacy workforce for the future.
In addition, DoH indicates that the survey will also support work to establish pharmacy technicians as a regulated healthcare profession in Northern Ireland, as announced by the Minister for Health in June 2022.
Share the updated survey flyer and survey link with pharmacy technicians and support staff, noting the extended closing date of 14th June 2023.
Contractors should contact CPNI offices should they have any queries or should their staff experience any difficulties in accessing or completing the survey.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.
Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF Gerard Greene Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The final update of concessionary prices were granted today for May 2023:
Drug
Pack Size
Concessionary Price
Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml oral suspension
100
£2.98
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension
100
£3.52
Atorvastatin 10mg tablets
28
£0.79
Atorvastatin 40mg tablets
28
£1.30
Atorvastatin 80mg tablets
28
£1.40
Brinzolamide 10mg/ml eye drops
5
£4.46
Brinzolamide 10mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops
5
£8.19
Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops
10
£9.68
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
150
£3.04
Cinacalcet 30mg tablets
28
£10.09
Cinnarizine 15mg tablets
84
£5.53
Clarithromycin 250mg tablets
14
£4.20
Clonidine 25microgram tablets
112
£19.11
Clotrimazole 500mg pessary and Clotrimazole 2% cream
1
£10.35
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets
32
£3.31
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets
100
£10.34
Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets
28
£2.36
Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules
5
£9.74
Doxazosin 4mg modified-release tablets
28
£5.75
Flucloxacillin 250mg capsules
28
£1.91
Itraconazole 100mg capsules
15
£9.76
Lansoprazole 30mg orodispersible tablets
28
£5.52
Letrozole 2.5mg tablets
14
£1.03
Methylphenidate 10mg tablets
30
£3.08
Miconazole 2% cream
30
£2.51
Nebivolol 5mg tablets
28
£1.67
Ondansetron 4mg tablets
10
£6.01
Paracetamol 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
200
£8.46
Paracetamol 500mg effervescent tablets
100
£10.77
Permethrin 5% cream
30
£11.51
Quetiapine 25mg tablets
60
£1.47
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets
28
£5.44
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules
20
£9.12
Spironolactone 100mg tablets
28
£5.40
Tolterodine 2mg tablets
56
£3.58
Travoprost 40micrograms/ml eye drops
2.5
£2.47
Trazodone 100mg capsules
56
£4.05
Trazodone 50mg capsules
84
£4.32
Trihexyphenidyl 2mg tablets
84
£4.45
Valsartan 160mg capsules
28
£10.88
Venlafaxine 150mg modified-release capsules
28
£4.98
Venlafaxine 150mg modified-release tablets
30
£4.85
Venlafaxine 75mg modified-release capsules
28
£4.50
Venlafaxine 75mg modified-release tablets
30
£2.95
Zonisamide 100mg capsules
56
£30.22
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 25 May 2023 providing an update on the Pharmacy First for Emergency Hormonal Contraception Service.
SUMMARY
Contractors will note:
Service activity:
The Pharmacy First Service for EHC service has been available from community pharmacies across Northern Ireland since July 2022.
There are currently 404 pharmacies contracted to provide the service.
Details of these pharmacies are available on the interactive map which has been shared widely with PHA, Trust, GP, OOH colleagues and the general public.
More than 12,000 consultations have been undertaken so far through the service.
Pharmacies who have not yet provided the service are asked to note:
It is important that all contracted pharmacies are able to provide the service. If you do not wish to be a contracted provider please contact your local SPPG office and ask for your pharmacy to be removed.
Consider promoting the service on your social media platforms and contact your local GP practices to let them know you provide the service.
Service monitoring:
As part of monitoring for this service contractors may be asked to submit records by secure email.
Completed consultation forms and associated Fraser Competency forms, where applicable, should be returned within 14 days of the request.
While SPPG have confirmed that records do not need to be anonymised if sent to SPPG offices via the pharmacy’s secure HSC email account, contractors may wish to consider anonymising patient identifiable information prior to sending and can discuss this with their SPPG pharmacy adviser.
Promotion:
Twitter and Instagram resources are available on the BSO website to assist with social media promotion.
Please also retweet SPPG media posts.
Reminders:
Further printed supplies of the KYO patient leaflets can be ordered by contacting your local SPPG office.
Please encourage women and young people to complete the on-line survey following their consultation using the QR code.
ACTION
Contractors should:
Review the SPPG correspondence 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
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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)
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:
Drug
Pack Size
Concessionary Price
Aciclovir 800mg tablets
35
£4.60
Amiloride 5mg tablets
28
£13.15
Bisacodyl 5mg gastro-resistant tablets
60
£4.45
Buprenorphine 8mg sublingual tablets sugar free
7
£4.40
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension
70
£4.20
Co-amilofruse 2.5mg/20mg tablets
28
£4.60
Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules
30
£7.95
Enalapril 2.5mg tablets
28
£7.74
Pramipexole 88microgram tablets
30
£2.59
Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets
50
£7.16
Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets
28
£1.91
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment
30
£25.92
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment
60
£39.45
Tizanidine 2mg tablets
120
£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
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