Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor
Please see attached correspondence issued by Mrs Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer that we have been asked to bring to the attention of Community Pharmacy Contractors.

The letter provides helpful and updated Guidance in relation to COVID-19 Testing and Isolation specifically for Community Pharmacy Settings.

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
Dear Contractor
CPNI has been liaising with the Pharmaceutical Society Northern Ireland (PSNI) in relation to the registration process and timeline for Foundation Training Year (FTY) pharmacists intending to register with PSNI this summer.

PSNI has confirmed the following:
  • PSNI will open the portal to registration applications on 1 July 2022.
  •  The Common Registration Assessment (CRA) results will be available on 29 July 2022.
  • From 1 August 2022, PSNI will begin to process all completed applications that they receive by 15 July 2022 from FTY pharmacists who have;
    • completed the FTY programme,
    • been successful in the CRA and
    • paid the relevant fees.
  • PSNI will aim to Register all those who have completed the steps outlined above on or before Friday, 5 August 2022, with subsequent applications being processed in order received thereafter.

Contractors are advised to encourage Foundation Year pharmacists to properly complete their online applications and to ensure they have completed all the necessary elements of their FTY training with NICPLD and tendered the relevant payment to the PSNI on time.

It is anticipated that PSNI will confirm these arrangements and provide further information on their website in due course, but hopefully this information will, in the meantime, help you in the planning of your pharmacy staffing arrangements going forward.

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

Dear Colleague

  • Mrs Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, confirmed the Pharmacy Foundation Training Year (FTY) Placement Grant that has been made available for 2022/23 in the attached correspondence.
  • The Department of Health will be making a total FTY grant of £24,904 available to each contractor for each trainee pharmacist, who will be starting their placement from July 2022, subject to the regulatory requirements of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland being met.
  • The letter advises that the total grant will include a salary of £19,404 for each foundation year trainee. The remaining £5,500 grant should be paid to individual contractors to include a protected employer specific, funding allocation per placement, to cover training and employer on-costs associated with each placement. For part time placements, these amounts should be reduced proportionately.
  • Please do not hesitate to contact the BSO should you require any further information.

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.

BSO ALERTS 

  • Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
  • Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
  • Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.

CPNI ALERTS 

DOH(NI) ALERTS 

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).
Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar or Contractor Emails

Or report medicine shortages, pricing and staffing issues via the CPNI’s Medicine Shortage Reporter or Situation Reporter.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF 
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist
Dear Colleague
Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Strategic Planning and Performance Group.

SUMMARY

  • In December 2021 HSCB confirmed that lunchtime closure of 1 hour would be allowed to facilitate staff breaks and pharmacies could consider a later opening time of 10am. As workforce challenges continue SPPG (formerly HSCB) remind community pharmacy contractors of the following options that remain available:
  • Lunchtime closure: The facility for pharmacies to close at lunchtime remains in place. SPPG would like to emphasise the importance of staff breaks and would encourage pharmacies to avail of this.
  • Delayed opening time: It is recognised that it may be helpful at times for pharmacies to delay opening until 10am. That is permitted and, if required, SPPG would be grateful if you could advise your SPPG local office accordingly.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • If you have any queries please contact a Pharmacy Advisor at your local SPPG office.
  • 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

Dear Colleague

  • CPNI is liaising with the Department of Health, SPPG, Pharmacy Wholesalers and PMR providers in relation to the current acute supply shortages affecting NI licensed medicines as well as the consequential PIP-code and DM&D code issues that have also arisen.
  • It is important that any product supply shortages and price increases, especially where the medicine cost price exceeds the tariff price are notified to CPNI via the CPNI Medicine Shortage Reporter.
  • This information will enable guidance to be issued to pharmacy and GP teams in relation to how shortages associated with prescribed medicines should be handled, especially as we are approaching the July holiday period.
  • Issues associated with PIP-codes and DM&D codes are also being escalated to ensure safe medicine supply and reimbursement arrangements are also factored in by the relevant authorities.
  • Please ensure that you and your Teams use the CPNI Medicine Shortage Reporter.
  • 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