Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

The second update of concessionary prices were granted yesterday for November 2022:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Alendronic acid 70mg tablets	4	£5.36
Amisulpride 100mg tablets	60	£20.29
Amisulpride 200mg tablets	60	£33.92
Amisulpride 50mg tablets	60	£13.09
Amorolfine 5% medicated nail lacquer	5	£7.34
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets	28	£29.95
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets	28	£25.85
Baclofen 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	300	£6.00
Benzydamine 0.15% oromucosal spray sugar free	30	£3.80
Bimatoprost 100micrograms/ml eye drops	3	£3.81
Brimonidine 0.2% eye drops	5	£4.85
Carbocisteine 250mg/5ml oral solution	300	£9.00
Carbocisteine 375mg capsules	120	£17.04
Carvedilol 6.25mg tablets	28	£2.07
Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment	4	£3.86
Chlorpromazine 100mg tablets	28	£28.36
Chlorpromazine 50mg tablets	28	£29.51
Cilostazol 100mg tablets	56	£15.56
Citalopram 10mg tablets	28	£1.29
Citalopram 40mg tablets	28	£1.48
Clarithromycin 250mg tablets	14	£3.35
Clarithromycin 500mg tablets	14	£7.64
Clotrimazole 1% cream	20	£2.50
Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries	1	£10.50
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg effervescent tablets	32	£2.88
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg effervescent tablets	100	£8.99
Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules	30	£7.95
Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets	28	£3.79
Desloratadine 5mg tablets	30	£5.99
Desogestrel 75microgram tablets	84	£5.08
Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets	28	£5.00
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops	5	£4.39
Dosulepin 25mg capsules	28	£4.99
Doxycycline 100mg capsules	8	£0.96
Escitalopram 10mg tablets	28	£1.99
Escitalopram 20mg tablets	28	£1.63
Febuxostat 80mg tablets	28	£3.40
Finasteride 5mg tablets	28	£4.99
Flucloxacillin 500mg capsules	28	£2.73
Fluoxetine 20mg capsules	30	£1.25
Fluoxetine 60mg capsules	30	£2.23
Frovatriptan 2.5mg tablets	6	£15.00
Gabapentin 600mg tablets	100	£12.50
Ivabradine 5mg tablets	56	£7.50
Lacidipine 4mg tablets	28	£4.18
Lamotrigine 100mg tablets	56	£2.19
Lamotrigine 50mg tablets	56	£2.43
Lercanidipine 20mg tablets	28	£8.21
Levetiracetam 1g tablets	60	£6.68
Levetiracetam 500mg tablets	60	£4.62
Mebeverine 135mg tablets	100	£3.70
Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules	84	£11.00
Naproxen 500mg gastro-resistant tablets	56	£5.57
Norethisterone 5mg tablets	30	£7.65
Oxybutynin 5mg tablets	56	£2.20
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	250	£9.71
Paracetamol 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	200	£9.81
Paroxetine 20mg tablets	30	£1.64
Phenoxymethylpenicillin 250mg tablets	28	£2.45
Pregabalin 150mg capsules	56	£2.43
Pregabalin 300mg capsules	56	£3.33
Pregabalin 50mg capsules	84	£2.36
Pregabalin 75mg capsules	56	£2.30
Promethazine hydrochloride 25mg tablets	56	£34.19
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets	28	£4.50
Rabeprazole 10mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£6.68
Rabeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£11.34
Risedronate sodium 35mg tablets	4	£3.59
Risperidone 500microgram tablets	20	£3.83
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules	30	£19.80
Telmisartan 40mg tablets	28	£2.50
Temazepam 20mg tablets	28	£34.93
Topiramate 100mg tablets	60	£6.16
Tranexamic acid 500mg tablets	60	£7.10
Travoprost 40micrograms/ml / timolol 5mg/ml eye drops	2.5	£5.99
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets	60	£12.95
Venlafaxine 75mg tablets	56	£13.65

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

Dear Contractor

As discussed at last week’s contractor meeting, the frequency of abusive behaviour directed at community pharmacy teams specifically relating to medicine shortages has increased and to capture this rise in abuse, contractors are encouraged to complete this short survey HERE.

Please complete by 12 noon on today, Monday, 21 November 2022.

CPNI would ask community pharmacy teams in addition to notifying CPNI, to liaise with local PSNI teams and with their crime prevention officers, and to report all instances of abuse, aggression, or attacks to the Department of Health.

Kind regards

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.
  • Class 4 Defect – Venlafaxine XL 300 mg Prolonged-release Tablets 16 November 2022
• Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
• Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.

CPNI ALERTS

• First Concessionary Prices – November 2022 18 November 2022
• REMINDER Contractor Survey: Abusive Behaviour Relating to Medicine Shortages 18 November 2022
• Contractor Meeting 15 November 2022 Confirmed Intention of Current Service Aspects 17 November 2022
• Contractor Survey: Abusive Behaviour Relating to Medicine Shortages 16 November 2022
• CPNI Contractor Meeting 8pm Tuesday 15 November 2022 Remote Joining Facilities 15 November 2022
• CPNI Contractor Meeting Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast, 8pm Tuesday 15 November 2022 15 November 2022
• SPPG Correspondence – Community Pharmacy Vaccination Services Resources 15 November 2022

DOH(NI) ALERTS

• PILs for Use with Generic QIVc Vaccine 18 November 2022
• Update of Community Pharmacy Needle and Syringe Exchange Service 17 November 2022
• Living Well – Home Accident Prevention Start Letter 17 November 2022
• Community Pharmacy Care Home Support Service (CPCHSS) 16 November 2022
• REMINDER Grant Funding Allocation – DM+D Clinical System Amendment – Deadline for Return Friday 25 November 2022 16 November 2022
• World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 18-24 November 2022 16 November 2022
• Cost Effective Choices List November 2022 15 November 2022
• Primary Care Summary of Diagnosis and Management of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Adults 15 November 2022
• Winter Regulator Letter 14 November 2022
• Private Prescribing and Requirements for Prescriptions 14 November 2022

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

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

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

The first update of concessionary prices were granted today for November 2022:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension	100	£2.69
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	100	£2.69
Benzydamine 0.15% mouthwash sugar free	300	£4.65
Bisacodyl 5mg gastro-resistant tablets	60	£4.99
Bisoprolol 2.5mg tablets	28	£1.15
Chlorpromazine 25mg tablets	28	£28.50
Citalopram 20mg tablets	28	£1.96
Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules	5	£10.81
Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules	28	£4.11
Escitalopram 5mg tablets	28	£1.15
Ezetimibe 10mg tablets	28	£1.99
Flucloxacillin 125mg/5ml oral solution	100	£1.89
Fluoxetine 10mg capsules	30	£24.95
Fluoxetine 20mg/5ml oral solution	70	£12.95
Gabapentin 100mg capsules	100	£3.30
Hydralazine 25mg tablets	56	£4.57
Lacidipine 2mg tablets	28	£3.05
Lamotrigine 25mg dispersible tablets sugar free	56	£23.53
Mometasone 0.1% ointment	30	£4.17
Mycophenolate mofetil 500mg tablets	50	£8.50
Naproxen 250mg gastro-resistant tablets	56	£2.70
Nebivolol 5mg tablets	28	£1.37
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets	24	£3.48
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets	100	£14.50
Rasagiline 1mg tablets	28	£5.05
Telmisartan 80mg tablets	28	£2.86
Temazepam 10mg tablets	28	£28.57
Valsartan 40mg capsules	28	£4.68
Valsartan 80mg capsules	28	£8.90

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

Dear Contractor

As discussed at Tuesday’s night’s contractor meeting, the frequency of abusive behaviour directed at community pharmacy teams specifically relating to medicine shortages has increased and to capture this rise in abuse, contractors are encouraged to complete this short survey HERE.

 Please complete by 12 noon on Monday, 21 November 2022. 

CPNI would ask community pharmacy teams in addition to notifying CPNI, to liaise with local PSNI teams and with their crime prevention officers, and to report all instances of abuse, aggression, or attacks to the Department of Health. 

Kind regards

Dear Contractor,

You will be aware from recent correspondence and meetings, as well as from your own experience, that community pharmacy is in a critical position, in terms of funding, workforce and workload.

At Tuesday evening’s contractor meeting there was a clear decision taken by those present to proceed with a number of actions aimed at maintaining the safe provision of pharmacy services to patients.

The actions that will be taken forward by the network, with immediate effect, are as follows: 

1. Adherence
   1. Reaffirmation that contractors will not take on new adherence/compliance (Cohort 2) patients until such times that a commissioned service is agreed and implemented for all patients in Cohort 2. 
   2. From 1 December 2022 contractors will only be able to provide adherence/compliance services to patients who are being discharged from hospital following completion and receipt of an ARF, irrespective of whether the patient previously had received compliance support from their community pharmacy and irrespective of the duration of hospital stay.
2. Rota services will be withdrawn from 25 December 2022.
3. Belfast on-call service will be withdrawn from 23 December 2022.
4. Community pharmacy will no longer undertake blood pressure monitoring on behalf of any other healthcare provider as this is not a commissioned service.
5. Community pharmacy will be unable to provide information to Trust staff relating to admission or discharge of patients in the absence of a formal process – community pharmacy usually receives a phone call that is unplanned and is then expected to provide considerable confidential information over the phone at admission, or to facilitate the supply of prescription medicines to the patient at discharge often before the prescription is issued to the pharmacy – both of these present information governance, patient safety and professional risks.
6. Contractors may wish to write to the Department of Health or SPPG expressing their concerns – some additional information is provided relating to this in Appendix 1.
7. Contractors may wish to submit an application to reduce their contracted hours to help manage workforce challenges.

As you can see a series of actions have been agreed, in recognition that there is not one single issue causing the difficulties that community pharmacy is facing. It is a result of the underlying funding being insufficient and until that is addressed we will continue to face the same difficulties. This is a starting point. There have been strong feelings expressed by contractors and CPNI acknowledges that further action may be required. This will be kept under constant review and we will keep contractors updated.

CPNI has advised SPPG of the actions being taken forward. CPNI has also advised SPPG that the Pharmacy First for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) Service cannot be rolled out at this time and also that the addition of Winter Pressures to Pharmacy First over the coming months cannot proceed. Those pharmacies involved in the UTI pilot may continue.

In relation to Rota and Belfast on-call services pharmacies should notify SPPG that they are withdrawing from these services from the dates stated above in order to maintain the safety of patients and the health and well-being of pharmacy teams.

We have also included some guidance for pharmacy teams in Appendix 2 which may help when you are briefing them on the current position and also in how they respond to any queries from other healthcare professionals or the public. Please ensure your pharmacy teams are aware of these actions. Further information and guidance will be developed and made available to you to support your teams as issues arise.

Should any contractor require further information at this time please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office or your local CPNI Director. 

Kind regards