Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague
I write to provide updated information to assist contractors and pharmacy team members using the SimplyBook.Me (SBM) Vaccine Booking Systems (VBS) for Vaccination Services.

The Updated User Guide has been revised and now includes guidance on how to add new vaccine types (e.g., Moderna COVID-19 vaccine) on the booking form. All Pharmacy staff involved in the set-up and on-going use of the SBM VBS should be familiar with the contents of the manual and the SBM VBS platform.

CPNI will continue to provide you with resources and assistance in relation to the Community Pharmacy COVID Vaccination Service and the SimplyBook.Me Vaccine Booking system.

Please do not hesitate to contact Simply Book Me or CPNI offices should you require additional information or assistance.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF 
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The Police Service of Northern Ireland Cyber Crime Team has issued the attached alerts: Joint CSA: Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities and PSNI: Top Routinely Exploited Vulnerabilities detailing the top 30 vulnerabilities routinely exploited by malicious actors in 2020 and those being widely exploited in 2021.  A number of the vulnerabilities highlighted have been behind incidents reported in Northern Ireland. 

The Cyber Security Team advise that if you use a service associated with a vulnerability listed, it is important that you ensure that you have deployed the relevant patch and have an appropriate rapid patch management plan in place.

ACTION

Contractors are advised to:

  1. Note the attached alert and suggested remedial actions.

Contractors are reminded that the storage and back up of patient sensitive data and any amendments to your systems should only be carried out in line with advice from your IT or email supplier, PMR system provider and in line with Data Protection legislation.

CPNI colleagues will continue to keep you updated on these matters.

Kind regards – Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF. MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BSO ALERTS 

CPNI ALERTS 

HSCB ALERTS 

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

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

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF 
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist
Dear Colleague
The following concessionary prices have been granted for July 2021:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Cetirizine 1mg/ml oral solution sugar free200£10.65
Glyceryl trinitrate 400micrograms/dose pump sublingual spray180£2.89
Glyceryl trinitrate 400micrograms/dose pump sublingual spray200£3.20
Isocarboxazid 10mg tablets56£249.10
Ivabradine 5mg tablets56£23.50
Ivabradine 7.5mg tablets56£17.67
Lercanidipine 10mg tablets28£3.89
Lercanidipine 20mg tablets28£5.81
Nitrofurantoin 50mg capsules30£11.22
Perindopril erbumine 8mg tablets30£2.58
Pregabalin 25mg capsules56£3.42
Pregabalin 50mg capsules84£4.85
Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets28£1.52
Sulpiride 200mg tablets30£5.84
Trimethoprim 200mg tablets6£1.23
Trimethoprim 200mg tablets14£2.88

This is the final update of concessionary prices for July 2021.

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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist

For the immediate attention of the manager in charge of payroll/human resources.

Dear Contractor
As per February’s contractor update, the £500 HCW staff Recognition payment will be provided to Community Pharmacy staff members, as previously indicated in the letter from Mr Joe Brogan, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management to Contractors, dated 15 February 2021.

Whilst the health service will commence the provision of this £500 recognition payment to employees directly employed by the health service in Northern Ireland this month, there are additional administrative elements for HSCB to undertake in processing this payment to all 4 Independent Contractor providers. Consequently, this will delay the £500 payment being processed to staff in the community pharmacy, GP, dental and optometry independent sectors.

Community pharmacy staff are assured of this £500 recognition payment. HSCB will be issuing correspondence to this effect shortly.

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 and Michelle Tennyson, Chair Dysphagia NI, Assistant Director, AHPS, PPI and Patient Experience.

SUMMARY

  • In 2018, following an NHS improvement Patient Safety Alert, the Department of Health issued Resources to Support Safer Modification of Food and Drink, which mandated the global International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) terminology and provided implementation guidance across Health and Social Care settings.
  • This meant a change in the way in which dysphagia diets were classified, from the old “National Descriptors” to the new IDDSI levels.
  • There was a transition period in 2018, with full implementation of the new framework in Northern Ireland by April 2019. HSCB previously wrote to community pharmacies in November 2018 to highlight this change.
  • While IDDSI is the recognised international descriptor, not every country has adopted this framework. HSCB has received reports from Speech and Language Therapists and Dietitians that patients have received parallel imported products dispensed from community pharmacies that could cause confusion and increase patient risk.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence and ensure all pharmacy staff involved in the dispensing of these products are made aware of the advice and recommendations within the correspondence..
  • HSCB strongly recommends that community pharmacies stock the UK version of dysphagia products where possible in the interest of reducing confusion and potential risk to this vulnerable patient group.
  • In the event of a shortage of the UK product and a parallel import product is sourced, steps should be taken to ensure the patient/carer is adequately supported to use an equivalent dose.
  • Report supply issues to CPNI via the Medicine Shortage Reporter, for further investigation and appropriate action.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive