Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

Please find correspondence HERE for the attention of all Community Pharmacies offering Living Well service, from HSCB Pharmacy & Medicines Management.

SUMMARY

  • The last campaign of 2020/2021, How are you feeling?, finished on 31 May 2021.
  • Pharmacies offering Living Well are required to complete an online evaluation survey for this campaign.
  • It is vital that all pharmacies contracted to provide “Living Well” submit their evaluation survey as it allows HSCB to collate data to demonstrate the value and impact of the service to other sectors. Additionally, it supports future commissioning and service development. 
  • The HSCB monitor compliance with the service requirements, in particular evaluation submission. Failure to submit evaluation survey will result funding adjustment via the pharmacy’s BSO payment account.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • Pharmacies offering Living Well service are required to complete an evaluation survey, available HERE by 19 July 2021.
  • If you have already completed this, you do not need to do anything further. 

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

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

BSO ALERTS 

CPNI ALERTS 

DoH(NI)/ HSCB ALERTS 

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

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

SUMMARY

  • The HSCB in agreement with CPNI are considering launching a Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccination Service using the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.
  • The HSCB is seeking expressions of interest from pharmacy contractors wishing to participate in this service.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • If interested in the provision of this COVID-CPVS2, please complete the expression of interest form attached as Appendix A and return by email to local offices below by 2 July 2021.
  • If you have any queries please in relation to this service contact: Brendan Kerr email Brendan.kerr@hscni.net Tel: 02895363914 or Mob: 07554773972.
  • This Moderna EOI provides contractors with an opportunity to provide COVID vaccination services to individuals in the under 40 years of age cohort, something that is not possible with the Astra Zeneca vaccine at present.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Colleagues,

Please find attached for your attention, correspondence from Joe Brogan, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management and Dr. Margaret O’Brien, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of GMS.

CPNI is informed by HSCB that there is NO direct contractor input into this as nursing homes will dispose of their own medicinal product waste. The information is being sent to all community pharmacies to alert them that these medicines had been removed thus ensuring they would not unintentionally restock any pandemic packs of these three medications if requested by a nursing home.

Kind regards

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

Dear Colleagues,

Please find attached for your attention, correspondence from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, HSCB.

The purpose of this correspondence is to inform community pharmacies that with immediate effect:

  • Pharmacies should not book any 1st dose appointments for AZ vaccination for any individuals aged under 40 years of age. Individuals aged under 40 years of age requesting vaccination with AZ should be advised that a non-AZ vaccine is the preferred vaccine for their age cohort and that they should book their vaccine through the Trust vaccination centres. There is currently good availability for vaccination slots in all Trust centres.
  • Individuals aged under 40 years of age who have already had their first dose of AZ in community pharmacy should continue to be offered their 2nd dose appointment as scheduled, in line with JCVI advice.
  • Pharmacies must contact any individuals under 40 years of age booked for a 1st dose appointment to cancel their appointment, and should advise the patient that they can reschedule their vaccination appointment by booking with one of the Trust centres at this time, by visiting HERE https://vaccinations.covid-19.hscni.net/booking. Appendix I includes information that may assist in the identification of patients aged under 40 years.

CPNI has raised with DoH and HSCB the additional workload implications on pharmacy teams who are required, as a result of this update.

Kinds regards, stay safe – Gareth

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

Dear Colleague

As you will be aware, there are widely publicised increases in cyber-attacks world-wide with health service facilities frequently being targeted. In response, CPNI has been partnering with the Police Service of NI Cyber Crime Centre to update contractors on measures that could be taken to upgrade the security of sensitive data held in community pharmacies.

As part of the evening ECHO session being delivered on 29 June 2021, Sam Kincaid, Regional Cyber Protect Officer, will be highlighting:

Current cyber threats facing organisations in Northern Ireland, an overview of steps organisations can take to reduce the risk they face and free resources available to help support them.

ACTION

Contractors are advised to note:

  1. Reports of the increasing number and complexity of cyber-attacks here; and
  2. The date of the ECHO session aimed at helping to protect community pharmacy from such attacks.

Details of the ECHO session will be forwarded through the normal channels.

Kind regards – Mike

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