Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

Please find attached correspondence HERE from Joe Brogan, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management.

SUMMARY

• If there are challenges in respect of opening/service provision, contractors should notify local HSCB offices at the earliest opportunity using the phone numbers / e-mail addresses as detailed HERE. The checklist issued HERE may be helpful.
• For the period up to 31 March 2022, HSCB confirms that lunchtime closing of up to 1 hour will be allowed to facilitate staff breaks, restocking and cleaning. Similarly, pharmacies may wish to consider a later opening time of 10am.
• For January to March 2022, where there are significant staff/workload issues, pharmacists may again use their professional discretion in exceptional circumstances to suspend instalment dispensing but please note the following:
  • Instalment directions must be observed and adhered to if contained within prescriptions for Schedule 2 or 3 Controlled Drugs.
  • The prescriber is informed of any proposed temporary variation or changes to instalments supplied; use of the instalment dispensing communication pro-forma may facilitate the communication of any agreed changes.
  • The prescriber is informed when the supply reverts to normal arrangements in line with the prescription directions.
  • A record is made in the patient’s Patient Medication Record.
• Additional funding is available to the network to support additional staff costs from January – March 2022 HERE.

ACTION

• Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
• Please do not hesitate to contact your local HSCB office or the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

As we move into 2022, following the conclusion of the 2021 12-month derogation period for medicines in relation to EU Exit, there is the potential for supply of medicines to pharmacies in Northern Ireland being reduced and medicine price increases over the coming weeks and months. CPNI continues to liaise with Department of Health (NI), HSCB and supply chain stakeholders in relation to emerging supply challenges and accordingly it is vital that contractors continue to report all instances of medicines shortages, supplier issues and price increases to CPNI. Contractors and pharmacy team members are encouraged to engage with CPNI in relation to any reports of medicines shortages, supply issues and pricing issues by reporting via the CPNI Medicines Shortage Reporter, or directly to CPNI offices on 028 9069 0444. The CPNI team can then build an evidence base of issues affecting community pharmacies and ultimately patients enabling CPNI to liaise accordingly with the Department of Health (NI) and HSCB. I would ask that you bring this to the attention of the pharmacy team members involved in the ordering and purchasing of medicines for your pharmacy(-ies). Thank you for your assistance and support in relation to this important issue.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

The third update concessionary prices were granted for January 2022:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Amisulpride 100mg tablets	60	£4.90
Amisulpride 200mg tablets	60	£6.15
Amisulpride 50mg tablets	60	£2.99
Calcium and Ergocalciferol tablets	28	£35.52
Clomipramine 10mg capsules	28	£2.32
Clomipramine 25mg capsules	28	£4.80
Clomipramine 50mg capsules	28	£14.49
Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules	5	£6.85
Dosulepin 75mg tablets	28	£11.20
Lamotrigine 5mg dispersible tablets sugar free	28	£8.43
Liothyronine 10microgram tablets	28	£150.05
Mirtazapine 15mg/ml oral solution sugar free	66	£97.89
Omeprazole 10mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	75	£106.46
Omeprazole 20mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	75	£206.00
Promazine 25mg/5ml oral solution	150	£60.19
Ropinirole 2mg tablets	28	£19.00
Simvastatin 20mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	150	£173.89
Sulfasalazine 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	500	£94.22
Tamoxifen 10mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£74.52
Tolbutamide 500mg tablets	28	£25.30
Valsartan 40mg capsules	28	£2.95
Valsartan 80mg capsules	28	£4.68
Warfarin 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free	150	£156.07

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

Dear Colleague

Please find below a reminder of grant funding allocation deadlines.

ADDITIONAL STAFF COSTS

CPNI CU#220104A: Grant Funding Allocation – Additional Staff Costs January To March 2022

• £3,000 per community pharmacy available to support additional staff costs.
• Please return the completed declaration form by email to your local HSCB office by Friday 28 January 2022.

VACCINATION FRIDGE DATA LOGGER

• In order to support the monitoring of cold chain storage, grant funding of £100 is available for each community pharmacy to purchase 2 data loggers for their Vaccination fridges.
• Information regarding grant funding available to support the purchase of data loggers by community pharmacies has can be found HERE. 

Please note that the closing date for return of grant funding allocation claims is Friday 28 January 2022.

SECURITY FUNDING

CPNI CU#220112A: Community Pharmacy Security Funding ReminderFunding up to a maximum of £4,000 (excluding VAT) is available for each community pharmacy (that did not avail of funding in 2019-20 or 2020-21), for reimbursement of costs associated with purchasing security equipment.If you wish to avail of funding, please complete the claim form and submit original receipted invoices dated prior to 31 January 2022 along with the completed security self-assessment form.Pharmacies must ensure that all items of equipment/changes are in place prior to Monday 31 January 2022.

For all service related deadlines and information, please see the contractor calendar here which is updated continually throughout each month.

Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

Please find below a reminder for recent Community Pharmacy Services.

PHARMACY FIRST

CPNI CU#211108A: Pharmacy First Update
Pharmacy First winter conditions service is in operation from 8 November 2021. Service resources have been updated and are available on the BSO website HERE.

• All contractors must sign a new contract for 2021/22 and return a copy to local HSCB offices.
• The new activity form must be completed with a record of every consultation and emailed to local HSCB offices on a monthly basis.

It has been an incredibly busy and challenging period over previous months and pharmacy first returns are currently low from community pharmacies. In order that HSCB, CPNI and DoH can continue to work collaboratively to secure funding in the future for the Pharmacy First Service it is essential that all activity associated with the service is recorded on the activity form and these are submitted in a timely manner.

CPNI CU#220117A: UTI Pilot Service – Pharmacy Online Survey Extension
It is essential for those pharmacies involved in the UTI pilot to submit a survey response. Evaluation is an important part of the decision to commission future pharmacy services.

• Please complete the survey HERE by Friday 21 January 2022

COMMUNITY PHARMACY HOME DELIVERY SERVICE

This service is in operation since 20 December 2021, to ensure that eligible patients can have their medicines delivered in a manner which keeps both them and pharmacy staff safe from COVID-19.  Service resources are available HERE.

• Participating pharmacies do not need to submit a claim for payment – this will be included in the monthly BSO payment for those pharmacies who have submitted a contract.
• If you wish to participate in this service, please return a service contract to your local office.

COMMUNITY PHARMACY CARE HOME SUPPORT SERVICE

This service is in operation since December 2021. The aim of this service is to provide a systematic review of all medicines management processes in the care home and to work with the home on the development of protocols and procedures to facilitate the safe ordering, supply, storage and administration of medicines and appliances and reduce avoidable waste. Service resources are available HERE.If you wish to participate in this service, please return by email your completed contract to your local office.The service fee is dependent on the number of beds in the registered care home. Payment will be made on a monthly basis (December 2021 to March 2022 inclusive) by BSO for those pharmacies who have submitted a contract.If contractors you wish to participate in these services, please return by email relevant completed contract to your local office.

For all service related deadlines and information, please see the contractor calendar here which is updated continually throughout each month.

Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, HSCB and Stephen Wilson, Director of Operations (Interim), PHA.

SUMMARY

• The third campaign of 2021/2022, ‘Boost your Immunity this winter‘, is due to finish on 31 January 2022. Your pharmacy is required to complete an online evaluation survey for this campaign. This survey is available between 1 February 2022 – 7 March 2022, and can be accessed HERE.
• It is vital that all pharmacies contracted to provide “Living Well” submit their evaluation survey after each campaign as it allows HSCB to collate data to demonstrate the value and impact of the service to other sectors. Data also supports future commissioning and service development.
• “Making Healthier Choices” will commence on 1 February 2022. This campaign will run for two months. This campaign aims to encourage people to make changes to their diet that will reduce weight and have a positive impact on their health.
• Pharmacies should expect resources for the “Making Healthier Choices” campaign to be delivered by 28 January 2022.
• Funding of £500 per pharmacy for each campaign has been agreed with CPNI. This funding will be paid in monthly instalments of £250 and will appear as an adjustment to payment on your BSO schedule.
• There will be a range of additional resources to support this campaign available HERE.

ACTION

• Contractors and pharmacists involved in the provision of this service are asked to review the correspondence.
• Complete the online evaluation survey HERE, between 1 February 2022 – 7 March 2022, for the ‘Boost your Immunity this winter’ campaign.
• Contractors are advised to minimise infection risk to promote the online resources available HERE.
• If you have not received your “Making Healthier Choices” resource pack by 4 February 2022 please email reception.pha@hscni.net and  ensure  your  email subject heading is titled “LIVING WELL PHARMACY CAMPAIGN”.
• Please do not hesitate to contact your local Local Integrated Care Offices or the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards