The final update of concessionary prices were granted today for December 2022:
Drug
Pack Size
Concessionary Price
Gabapentin 600mg tablets
100
£40.25
Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free
300
£14.18
Mebeverine 135mg tablets
100
£6.39
Nitrofurantoin 50mg tablets
28
£13.86
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
BSO has forwarded correspondence issued by DHSC (updated on 28 December 2022) in respect of the supply of antibiotics for the treatment of Group A Strep HERE.
The update summarises the supply position as of 28 December 2022; highlights current SSPs and key issues in respect of decision pathways; provides supporting clinical information; and provides links and references.
ACTION
Contractors are advised to:
Note the update issued by DHSC and bring this to the attention of their dispensing teams; and
Keep this information for future reference.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI has issued guidance (14 November 2022) on professional and legal responsibilities in respect of the supply of medicines against private prescriptions HERE.
SUMMARY
The guidance provides information relating to:
Requirements for prescriptions: general
Requirements for prescriptions: approved country health professionals
Electronic Prescriptions: UK prescribers
Electronic Prescriptions: approved country health professionals
Other Regulatory Bodies
Validity of prescriptions
Supplying Medicines on Prescription
ACTION
Contractors are advised to:
Note the contents of the guidance and bring it to the attention of dispensary teams; and
Keep the guidance for future reference.
Kind regards – Mike
SENT ON BEHALF OF PROF. MIKE MAWHINNEY Head of Regulatory Affairs
Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI issued correspondence on 23 December 2022 HERE in respect of Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs).
It details that, further to recent correspondence from the Department of Health on SSPs – and as detailed in recent contractor updates issued on 16 and 20 December 2022, the DHSC has issued an update in respect of SSP043 to SSP047.
SUMMARY
SSPs, made under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, are an additional tool to manage and mitigate medicines shortages.
SSPs enable community pharmacists to supply specified medicines in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription, without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber – saving time for patients, pharmacists and prescribers.
DHSC has advised that SSP043 – SSP047 have now been updated to include azithromycin preparations as an additional alternative supply option to substitute for phenoxymethylpenicillin.
Pharmacists should refer to the latest version of these SSPs which are now available on the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website HERE– and will shortly be available on the Business Services Organisation (BSO) dedicated page on its website HERE.
As before, these SSPs apply in all parts of the UK and have an expiry date of 31 January 2023.
For each SSP, DHSC has included specific patient counselling points which must be considered when deciding whether supply in accordance with an SSP is suitable for a patient.
Before supplying an alternative antibiotic, the pharmacist must firstly consider if a suitable supply can be made by using an alternative formulation of phenoxymethylpenicillin in accordance with the relevant SSP (SSP040 – SSP042). Where that is not possible only specified antibiotics can be substituted for prescriptions for duration of no longer than 10 days, in order of preference depending on availability and the dosing needs for the patient (see specific SSP for details).
ACTION
Contractors are asked to:
Note that DHSC has advised that SSP043 – SSP047 have now been updated to include azithromycin preparations as an additional alternative supply option to substitute for phenoxymethylpenicillin
Review the DoH(NI) letter of 23 December 2022 from DHNI detailing this update, ensure that they are familiar with the detail contained within each SSP, and to ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of these new protocols.
Note that the ‘Addendum – Supporting information on notifying other healthcare professionals’ does not apply in Northern Ireland. Pharmacists in Northern Ireland should refer to the existing SSP operational guidance on the BSO website HERE.
Note also the specific guidance on professional judgement and patient/carer consent detailed in the letter and in the operational guidance.
Contractors should contact their local SPPG office in the first instance should further information be required. CPNI colleagues are also available for assistance.
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.
Salbutamol 2.5mg/2.5ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials
20
£14.78
Salbutamol 2.5mg/2.5ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials
20
£10.41
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment
30
£21.02
Tetracycline 250mg tablets
28
£23.11
Tolterodine 2mg tablets
56
£7.06
Topiramate 100mg tablets
60
£24.74
Topiramate 25mg tablets
60
£13.20
Trazodone 100mg capsules
56
£9.11
Trazodone 50mg capsules
84
£14.38
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets
60
£22.35
Venlafaxine 75mg tablets
56
£12.66
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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