Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

Attached is an update from the Police Cyber Crime Centre giving further details on how to help reduce the risk posed by phishing and ransomware attacks.

The attached phishing example has been shared with the PSNI Cyber Crime Centre by a local organisation as an example of a phishing campaign seen in Northern Ireland over recent days.  In this instance the email contains a malicious .ace attachment believed to be connected to a Remote Access Trojan known as Agent Tesla. 
 
The cyber crime team highlights two important measures that form part of a layered defence against phishing:

  1. The use of a banner alerting staff to the fact this email comes from outside the network can be a prompt to remind staff how phishing attacks work and to stop the almost instinctive rush to open an attachment. 
  2. The use of up to date anti malware protection can help ensure that if someone clicks a malicious link, known malware is not installed on your system.

In respect of the threat from ransomware, the section on mitigation in the attached document offers further advice on how to prevent such attacks and to reduce their impact. 

ACTION

Contractors are advised to:

  1. Note the information enclosed on phishing and ransomware; and
  2. Ensure that steps are put in place to protect your systems and data.

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 provider, PMR system provider and in line with Data Protection legislation.

CPNI and police cyber security colleagues, as well as your IT systems providers, will continue to support you in these matters.

Kind regards – Mike

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

Dear Colleagues,

Pharmacies will have received the following update earlier today from HSCB in relation to VMS Support.

*FAO OF CPVS PHARMACIES ONLY*

Dear Colleagues,

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Service Desk email address provided in Update 21 (25 May) cannot be used by community pharmacies.

BSO IT colleagues have now advised that all VMS queries should be sent  to supportteam@hscni.net

Any queries previously submitted to the Service Desk email address should be resubmitted to the new support team address above.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Regards
HSCB Pharmacy & Medicines Management

Kinds regards, stay safe – Gareth

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 of the following:

  1. An update to both the DoH Vaccine Protocol and the COVID-CPVS PGD for the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine in light of recent JCVI advice and updates to the Green Book.
  2. The addition of an edit function to the Vaccine Management System (VMS). 

Kinds regards, stay safe – Gareth

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

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

BSO ALERTS 

  • Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
  • Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
  • Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.

CPNI ALERTS 

HSCB ALERTS 

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s). Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails. Or report medicine shortages or pricing issues via the CPNI’s Medicine Shortage Reporter.

Many thanks, stay safe – Gareth

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

Dear Colleague

The following concessionary prices have been granted for May 2021:

DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Baclofen 10mg tablets84£3.60
Donepezil 10mg orodispersible tablets sugar free28£83.89
Etoricoxib 120mg tablets28£15.75
Etoricoxib 30mg tablets28£11.05
Etoricoxib 90mg tablets28£9.92
Gentamicin 0.3% ear/eye drops10ml£11.92
Ivabradine 5mg tablets56£8.30
Ivabradine 7.5mg tablets56£7.33
Lamotrigine 100mg tablets56£4.44
Lamotrigine 50mg tablets56£4.20
Methadone 5mg tablets28£5.50
Pregabalin 25mg capsules56£3.60
Repaglinide 2mg tablets90£9.09
Tolbutamide 500mg tablets28£13.31

This is the final update of concessionary prices for May 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.

Kinds regards – stay safe – Gareth

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.

From today, individuals aged 18 to 24, (DOB between 01/08/1996 and 31/07/2003) can be vaccinated through the community pharmacy service (see cohort 13 in Appendix 1).

JCVI guidance issued on 7 April 2021 advised that it is preferable for adults aged <30 years without underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease, to be offered an alternative COVID-19 vaccine, if available.

In light of the limited number of appointments available each week in Trust vaccination centres for patients seeking first doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the DoH have clarified that from today individuals aged 18 to 24 years who wish to make an informed decision to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine can be vaccinated through the community pharmacy service.

The correspondence also gives advice regarding vaccination in pregnancy. For unvaccinated pregnant individuals Pfizer and Moderna are the preferred COVID-19 vaccines therefore these individuals should be referred to Trust sites.

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