CPNI has been engaging with the Health Minister, Mr Robin Swann MLA, and senior officials at the DoH(NI) and SPPG in relation to the current acute difficulties in the community pharmacy sector.
The multitude of difficulties currently facing the network have been articulated to officials. These include the financial challenges resulting from reduced COVID-19 funding, reduced margin on medicines, rising operating costs and the resumption of the reclaim of the £35m COVID-19 Advance alongside extreme workload, supply chain difficulties and workforce pressures.
Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmacist at DoH(NI) attended the September CPNI Board meeting where Directors conveyed first-hand the reality of the difficulties in the sector and the need for urgent financial intervention. Due to the issues raised by CPNI, the Health Minister will meet with CPNI representatives on Monday, 10 October 2022. The outcome of those discussions will be considered at the October CPNI Board meeting, scheduled to take place later that week, and an update will be provided to you thereafter.
Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices, or your local CPNI Director, if you require any additional information at this stage.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
Please find correspondence HERE from SPPG Pharmacy and Medicines Management.
SUMMARY
Additional supplies of COVID-19 Spikevax bivalent and Flu QIVc vaccines have been secured from PHA for distribution to Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service providers.
SPPG have advised contractors that increased quotas are now available from Movianto. The allocations of these additional vaccines have been made to pharmacies based on activity volumes in 2021/2022. SPPG have asked that community pharmacies to place orders to meet the requirements for the next 14 days.
Movianto would also encourage contractors to place orders for both Flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time to help with their logistics and delivery schedules. Movianto have also noted it may take at least five working days for current deliveries.
It is anticipated further increases to quota allocations will be possible as additional supplies become available.
Additionally, CPVS posters are now available at HERE. Printed versions based on your service contract submission will be provided in due course.
ACTION
Contractors and pharmacists involved in the provision of this service are asked to review the correspondence.
If the new allocation does not meet a pharmacy’s needs for the next 14 days, please contact Deirdre McAree (Deirdre.mcaree@hscni.net) or Greg Miller (Greg.miller@hscni.net).
Please contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The third update of concessionary prices were granted today for September 2022:
Drug
Pack Size
Concessionary Price
Aciclovir 400mg tablets
56
£3.08
Aciclovir 800mg tablets
35
£3.21
Atenolol 50mg tablets
28
£1.70
Carbocisteine 250mg/5ml oral solution
300
£5.90
Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment
4
£4.27
Cilostazol 100mg tablets
56
£14.99
Clarithromycin 250mg tablets
14
£2.88
Clarithromycin 500mg tablets
14
£6.95
Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules
5
£8.90
Desmopressin 200microgram tablets
30
£22.10
Digoxin 125microgram tablets
28
£1.37
Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets
28
£1.37
Dihydrocodeine 30mg tablets
100
£5.54
Dihydrocodeine 30mg tablets
28
£1.55
Flucloxacillin 125mg/5ml oral solution
100
£1.85
Lamotrigine 100mg tablets
56
£2.05
Lamotrigine 50mg tablets
56
£2.06
Levetiracetam 1g tablets
60
£6.60
Levetiracetam 500mg tablets
60
£3.93
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
250
£9.71
Paracetamol 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
200
£4.14
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets
24
£3.49
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets
100
£14.56
Rivastigmine 1.5mg capsules
28
£3.96
Rivastigmine 3mg capsules
28
£4.96
Sodium bicarbonate 500mg capsules
56
£3.99
Sulfasalazine 500mg gastro-resistant tablets
112
£61.60
Sulfasalazine 500mg tablets
112
£58.50
Telmisartan 20mg tablets
28
£4.77
Topiramate 100mg tablets
60
£5.11
Topiramate 25mg tablets
60
£2.53
Topiramate 50mg tablets
60
£3.70
Trimethoprim 50mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
100
£8.95
Valsartan 40mg capsules
28
£3.50
Valsartan 80mg capsules
28
£5.80
Venlafaxine 75mg tablets
56
£16.62
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
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 Colleague
Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Strategic Planning and Performance Group.
SUMMARY
Movianto have been informed by SPPG of the initial quotas allocated to all contracted pharmacies for the autumn vaccine programme. From today, 21 September 2022, community pharmacies who have submitted contracts for Flu, COVID-19 or both can now proceed to log onto the Movianto web portal and order vaccine as needed, with respect to the allocated quotas.
The typical time from order to delivery is three working days however this may be longer (up to five working days) at busy times. SPPG has asked for pharmacies to allow for this delivery time when planning or advertising vaccination clinics.
The autumn booster programme is initially using Spikevax Bivalent vaccine for booster vaccinations. The original wildtype Moderna Spikevax is still available for primary doses. Please refer to the information regarding vaccine packaging outlined HERE.
A privacy notice template is available HERE, it has been written in the context of the pharmacy providing both COVID-CPVS and Flu-CPVS, however contractors can amend it to show one service as necessary.
Updated resources are available on the PHA webpages:
COVID-CPVS – printed versions of “What to expect” leaflets are being organised by PHA, as printed versions may not be available for a number of weeks, please avail of the resources HERE.
Flu-CPVS – leaflets have been distributed by PHA to pharmacies. For online versions please refer HERE.
Posters to promote the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (COVID-19 and/or Flu) are being organised by PHA. SPPG will advise community pharmacy teams as to delivery of printed versions and any online versions that will be made available in due course.
ACTION
Contractors and pharmacists involved in the provision of this service are asked to review the correspondence.
Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
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