Dear Colleague
Following on from the CPNI Contractor update on 3 November 2021 regarding the Staff Recognition Payment (SRP). Please note that HSCB have EXTENDED the deadline and asked that claims are to be submitted by 5pm Friday 19 November 2021.

Please find attached: GuidanceClaims Template and Staff Factsheet.

Please note:

  • Returns must be made at an individual Pharmacy practice level (and not at a group level).
  • You are asked to note your Pharmacy Contract number on the subject line of the e-mail when submitting your claim.
  • Frequently Asked Questions documents have now been placed on the Primary Care Intranet under each service area heading, to assist with completing template and making returns. Any updates to Frequently Asked Questions will be made to the documents on Primary Care Intranet.
  • Recordings of the zoom sessions held on 3-4 November 2021 have been uploaded to the Primary Care Intranet.
  • Please note that HSCB require the completed template and relevant supporting information to be returned to HSCB from your practice’s hscni.net e-mail address. If you do not have access to an hscni.net e-mail address, please make contact with your local office.
  • Please note section B20 of the guidance issued as below, and ensure that all relevant (redacted information) is forwarded along with your claim template year, employee reference and gross salary / contracted hours, is redacted before sending.

HSCB have asked that claims are to be submitted to the appropriate email address below. Please note that pharmacies who have already returned claims templates as part of the pilot process are still required to make a new return on the template provided.

AreaEmail address for completed claims
NorthernSRPRETURNSNORTH@hscni.net
WesternSRPRETURNSWEST@hscni.net
SouthernSRPRETURNSSOUTH@hscni.net
EasternSRPRETURNSEAST@hscni.net

Should you have any queries or concerns in relation to the completion and return of the requested information and documentation within this timescale please contact: StaffRecognitionPaymentQueries@hscni.net at the earliest opportunity.

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

Further to the CPNI ‘Hold the Date’Contractor Update issued on 3 November 2021 I write to invite you to attend an important Contractor Meeting at 8pm on Tuesday 16 November 2021 in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast, 117 Milltown Rd, Belfast BT8 7XP.

At a meeting of the CPNI Board of Directors, held yesterday, the decision was taken to hold the contractor meeting in person to provide Contractors with updates in relation to a number of important current Community Pharmacy matters including:

  • HSCB Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment Consultation available here (closing date 30 November 2021).
  • Community Pharmacy pressures and service provision.
  • Community Pharmacy Funding and Adherence/Compliance services.

I would ask that you make every effort to attend this meeting and I ask that you confirm your attendance (or otherwise) by email to ggilvary@communitypharmacyni.co.uk no later than 12 noon on Monday 15 November 2021.

Please note that due to venue availability the meeting will take place in the Crowne Plaza, Belfast, 117 Milltown Rd, Belfast BT8 7XP rather than our usual venue.

I look forward to seeing you then.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF 
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Health and Social Care Board.

SUMMARY

  • From  yesterday, carers and household  contacts  of  immunosuppressed individuals have been added  to  the eligible  cohorts for the Community  Pharmacy COVID-19 Booster Service.
  • Community pharmacists can provide a Moderna booster vaccination to any individual aged18 years and over, who identifies themselves as a carer. Community pharmacists are not required to verify the eligibility of carers and the individual is not  required to have been recorded on VMS as a carer in the primary vaccination programme.
  • Household contacts aged 18 years and over of immunosuppressed individuals can be offered a Moderna booster vaccination.
  • Immunosuppressed individuals will be identified by GPs/Trusts and a letter  issued to them advising that those who live with them are eligible to receive a booster dose. The letter should be presented to the community pharmacist as proof of eligibility.

ACTION

  • Contractors and pharmacists involved in the provision of this service are asked to review the correspondence.
  • Please refer to DoH correspondence for further information on the COVID-19 Booster programme.
  • Please refer to the service specification for the COVID-19 community pharmacy vaccination service which has been updated to reflect the changes.
  • If you have any queries please contact Joanne Crawford (Joanne.Crawford2@hscni.net) or Deirdre McAree (Deirdre.McAree@hscni.net).
  • 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
Please find correspondence HERE from Joe Brogan, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management.

SUMMARY

  • Secure HSC email has been used as the main method of communications between the HSCB and community pharmacies since 1 October 2020.
  • HSCB are aware however that a number of pharmacies are experiencing inbox size issues with some receiving alerts that their account is near its maximum allowance and will soon be unable to continue receiving mail.
  • To reduce the burden on pharmacy inboxes prior to the increase in mailbox size allowance, the HSCB will begin to upload correspondence to the Primary Care Intranet / BSO website / NI Formulary website / HSCB website as appropriate, before issuing a secure email to pharmacy contractors referencing the correspondence and providing a hyperlink to the uploaded documentation.
  • Documents will no longer be attached to HSCB communications and will be accessible via clicking on a hyperlink added to a secure email.
  • The HSCB will commence linking to correspondence/documents, rather than attaching information to secure email, from 8 November 2021.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • It is recommended that you review the contents of your HSC secure email account and delete or move all emails from your inbox / sent items / deleted items that do not need to be retained.
  • If you experience any issue accessing hyperlinks added to HSC email after 8 November 2021, please contact your local office Practice Support Manager who will be able to offer assistance in the first instance.
  • 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
Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead HSCB.

SUMMARY

  • The Health Minister, Mr. Robin Swann MLA, has expressed his request for the network of Moderna pharmacies to be consolidated to ensure the public are able to access a single list of pharmacies providing the Moderna vaccine for primary or booster doses.
  • As a result of this the HSCB after consultations with the DH and CPNI, is now seeking to consolidate the service for Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations.
  • Community pharmacies operating the CPVS with Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are now asked to provide both primary and booster vaccinations for patients.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • Where a community pharmacy has signed a contract for primary vaccination only or booster vaccination only, then the pharmacy should now proceed to engage the full service by completing the other relevant contract: 
  • To facilitate this for you the relevant contract has been enclosed with this letter. Please complete and return the signed contract to local offices.
  • If you have any queries in relation to any aspect of this HSCB correspondence or your Moderna Vaccination service provision, please contact: (E) Brendan.kerr@hscni.net or (T) 02895363914 / (M) 07554773972
  • 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
Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead HSCB.

SUMMARY

  • Funding has been secured to enable the Pharmacy First winter conditions service to operate again in community pharmacies from 8 November 2021 until 31 March 2022.
  • Key changes to the service this year include:
    • Patients with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 infection must be advised to book a PCR test and isolate while awaiting the result. These patients may avail of the Pharmacy First service and receive advice and medicines to alleviate symptoms as appropriate.
    • The new activity form must be completed with a record of every consultation and emailed to local HSCB offices on a monthly basis.
  • Remuneration for service provision will be based on a capitation model and any products supplied via PV1 forms will be reimbursed by BSO in the usual manner. Initial funding of £200k per month has been made available to set up and deliver this service from November 2021. Service funding will be allocated to pharmacies, contracted to provide the service, on the following basis:
    • One third divided equally amongst contractors.
    • The remaining two thirds to be allocated on prescribing volume, based on 20/21 dispensing data.
  • The pharmacy contractor is responsible for ensuring that the service is delivered in line with the specification by suitably trained pharmacists. Service resources have been updated and are available HERE.
  • A Pharmacy First Service for Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) is currently in development. The aims of the service will be to improve access to emergency contraception & sexual health advice is anticipated to be available early in the New Year.
  • As part of the transition to Pharmacy First the current Minor Ailments service will be incorporated within the Pharmacy First suite of services and be rebranded as Pharmacy First for Minor Conditions. There are no planned changes to the service this year, other than the name change.
  • New promotional material for all of the Pharmacy First services is currently in development and will be shared with pharmacies in the coming weeks.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • All contractors must sign a new contract for 21/22 and return a copy to local HSCB offices by Friday 19 November 2021.
  • 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