DOH has confirmed an extension to the ‘Pharmacy Collect NI’ service until at least 22 April 2022.
The Health Minister today published a Test and Trace Transition Plan. This is based on the latest public health advice and signals a move to a more targeted service, focused on protecting the most vulnerable people and those at highest risk of serious illness should they contract COVID-19.
The first changes will take place from 22 April 2022, with further changes planned through to the end of June 2022.
The Minister recognises the key role that Community Pharmacies have played in delivering testing at the heart of communities across Northern Ireland. The ‘Universal Offer’, of which Pharmacy Collect is a key component, will continue to operate unchanged until 22 April.
In order to facilitate this, the contract with Alliance to supply tests to pharmacies across Northern Ireland has been extended until the end of April 2022. Community Pharmacies currently registered under the Pharmacy Collect scheme should continue to order lateral flow test kits via the established Alliance ordering process. There will be no change to order lead times or order limits up until 22 April 2022.
After this date it is likely that a revised model, focussing on supporting those most vulnerable in our society, will be required. Further communication on this new service will be shared in due course.
A letter from the Department of Health has been issued today (24 March) regarding Northern Ireland’s Test and Trace arrangements here.
The Test and Trace Transition Plan can be accessed online here.
ACTION
• Community Pharmacies currently registered under the Pharmacy Collect scheme should continue to order lateral flow test kits via the established Alliance ordering process.
• Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.
Dear Colleague
Please find correspondence HERE from Louise McMahon, Director of Integrated Care, HSCB.
SUMMARY
• As you will be aware the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) will close on 31st March 2022 and responsibility for its functions will transfer to the Department of Health.
• From 1st April 2022, the former HSCB staff will work in the ‘Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG)’ as an integral part of the Department of Health.
• The work that the HSCB currently delivers will continue – there will be no change to key services or contacts – the new arrangements are intended to enhance system leadership and accountability, improve integration and streamline decision making processes.
ACTION
• Contractors are asked to review the correspondence. • Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.
Dear Colleague
Please find correspondence HERE from Joe Brogan, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management
• Mr Joe Brogan, HSCB wrote to all pharmacies to confirm that the commissioned and funded Community Pharmacy Home Delivery Service will end on 31st Mar’22. • Both HSCB and CPNI recognise the value and importance of this service being provided during the pandemic. • CPNI will continue to liaise with HSC officials so that proposals for the commissioning of the same or similar Home Delivery Services in the future can be developed. • Critical to this will be the completion and return of monthly returns stating the number of deliveries made per month, by each pharmacy, in the period December 2021 to March 2002.
ACTION
• Contractors are asked to review the correspondence. • As per the service specification o The pharmacy contractor is required to submit a monthly return to Integrated Care detailing the number of deliveries carried out. • Contractors are asked to submit any outstanding returns via secure email to local offices, stating the number of deliveries made each month during the period December 2021 to March 2022 via the service. • If you have any queries please contact your local HSCB office. • Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.
Wednesday 23 March 2022
CPNI wish to make pharmacy contractors and their teams aware of two important consultations which are of relevance to the sector. CPNI will be formulating and submitting a response to both consultations which will be shared with contractors when ready. In addition to this, contractors will be encouraged to make individual responses where possible, and will be welcome to utilise any aspect of the CPNI response with which they agree.
Action:
Review and consider these important consultation documents and make note of the associated deadlines:
This is a UK wide public consultation on proposals to bring about legislative changes to allow Hub and Spoke dispensing to occur between pharmacies which operate as separate legal entities. It includes proposals on 2 different models:model 1, where the medicines are returned assembled from the hub to the spoke pharmacy before supply to the patientmodel 2, where the hub pharmacy supplies medicines directly to the patientThe consultation proposals and questions, draft statutory instrument, and impact assessment are available on the consultation website.
This is a public consultation by Northern Ireland’s Department of Heath which sets out proposals for the regulation of pharmacy technicians. The proposals cite several potential impacts of such a change, including bringing NI into line with England, Scotland and Wales, and providing enhanced public assurance of the professional competence, standards and scope of practice of pharmacy technicians.
Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices should you require any additional information on the above. CPNI responses to other recent consultations are published on the CPNI website here.
Kind regards,
GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The final update of concessionary prices were granted for March 2022:
Concessionary prices will be paid against the usual code, no additional endorsements are needed.
Concessionary prices may be granted up until the end of the month so CPNI will notify you of any further concessionary prices as and when they are agreed.
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
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist
Dear Colleague,
Community Pharmacy Adherence Services – Updated HSCB Offer
As discussed at the Contractor meeting held on Tuesday 15th March
the main points contained in the HSCB Community Pharmacy Adherence Service
Updated Offer are as outlined below:
£8m additional funding will be paid to Contractors by 30th April 2022 for adherence services provided in 2021/22.
Recurrent additional funding of £4m will be provided for adherence services in 2022/23 and subsequent years. HSC colleagues have committed to seeking further funding when health service budgets are confirmed in 2022/23.
There will be a reduction in the monthly pay back of the special advance from £1.4m per month to £0.7m per month for a period of six months, with further easement on this repayment also being sought.
CPNI will continue to work with HSC colleagues to develop and commence the implementation in a phased manner of commissioned adherence services in 2022/23. Phase 1 will see the provision of adherence services being reintroduced only for new patients who will be discharged from hospital, following a referral from the hospital pharmacist to the patient’s community pharmacy. The referral process is currently being fast-tracked for development by CPNI and HSCB, with new referrals likely to commence during April 2022.
CPNI, HSCB and DoH endorse the updated offer and the commitment to develop commissioned services in 2022/23. Furthermore, the Minister for Health Mr Robin Swann MLA formally endorsed this approach in a statement issued following a visit to Dundela Pharmacy, Belfast earlier today (here).
Mr Joe Brogan will be writing to contractors with further information in due course.
CPNI welcomes today’s announcement by the Minister and his consistent support for the community pharmacy sector, something that can be clearly seen in his letter of thanks to community pharmacy contractors and their teams (here) for the care and support provided to patients and the health service over the last two years.
Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices should you require any additional information.
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