Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague,

UPDATE: PHARMACY FIRST SERIVCE FOR WINTER AILMENTS

You will be aware Pharmacy First for Winter Ailments was launched on 2nd November 2020 and will run until March 2021. CPNI is delighted that over 400 pharmacies have now signed up to provide the service, which will support patients through the winter months.

Reminders for Pharmacy First service:

  • If you wish provide the service from your pharmacy, you must sign and return the service contract (attached) by secure HSC email to your local HSCB office before you commence the service.
  • As the HSCB are now communicating with pharmacies via email only, contractors are reminded to access the Pharmacy First documentation online.
  • All service documentation and a CPNI training webinar is available here. This is a public page and can be accessed by all members of the pharmacy team.
  • See attached flowchart for an overview of the service.
  • Monitoring of the Pharmacy First service will be via the monthly record form. An entry should be completed for every consultation the pharmacist has with a patient in person, over the phone or via video when discussing common winter conditions or when giving advice or reassurance on COVID.
  • The monitoring forms should be scanned, either with the pharmacy’s scanner or you may wish to use the free ‘Adobe Scan’ app from a remote device. The scanned record forms should then be sent securely via the pharmacy’s HSC email address to the local HSCB office on the date of the second BSO submission. Please be reminded of information governance requirements when using remote devices.
Adobe Scan AppGoogle Play Available here
App storeAvailable here
  • When medication is supplied the pharmacist must complete and sign a pharmacy voucher. The pharmacy voucher must also be coded with the Pharmacy First code 97003/1
  • If you wish to avail of a HSC Zoom account for video conferencing, please see CPNI Contractor Update 201103B here for more information.
  • A communications plan is being finalised with HSCB, and will be available shortly. In the meanwhile, please follow CPNI’s social media platforms to keep updated.

It is vital that all Pharmacy First consultations are collated and reported to demonstrate the vital role of community pharmacists have in supporting patients with minor conditions, and how we can help ease pressure on other parts of the health service this winter. Also, 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 submitted in a timely manner.

If you have any queries regarding this year’s Pharmacy First service please contact the pharmacy advisor in your local HSCB office or Kerry Grimes in the CPNI office.

Contact Details for Local Integrated Care Offices:   

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

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Dear Colleague,

Please find attached a ‘Save the Date’ Document ahead of the next Echo Session, scheduled to take place on Tuesday 24th November 2020 from 7.30pm to 9.00pm.

Please also find attached Attendee & Moodle Guidance Notes along with Project ECHO Enhanced Security Measures.

An agenda will be issued shortly.

Please share this with your pharmacist(s).

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

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*** FOR THE ATTENTION OF CONTRACTORS PROVIDING LIVING WELL SERVICE ***

Dear Colleagues

HSCB CORRESPONDENCE: Community Pharmacy Service – Living Well Campaign Evaluation

Please find attached for your attention, correspondence from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead HSCB & Stephen Wilson, Assistant Director of Communications & Knowledge Management PHA.

The first campaign of the 2020/2021 schedule, “Looking after your health and wellbeing during COVID-19” is due to finish at the end of November 2020.  To replace the evaluation template for this campaign, a short survey has been created to capture your experiences of the campaign and gauge the impact and value community pharmacy have had on the public’s health and wellbeing. Details of which are in the attached correspondence.

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s) involved with the Living Well Service.

Contact Details for Local Integrated Care Offices:   

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

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Dear Colleague

Please find below and attached from HSCB Pharmacy and Medicines Management Team.

To GP Practices and Community Pharmacies

CURRENT MEDICINES SHORTAGE

Department of Health (NI) has requested that the attached information compiled by DHSC, is cascaded to relevant primary care services for information and action as appropriate.

This notification relates to a current shortage of :

Dulcolax (bisacodyl) 5mg and 10mg suppositories

Trifluoperazine 1mg/5ml syrup

Practices and Community Pharmacies are encouraged to liaise re local stock situation and plans for management

Note: Information on this and previous shortages is also posted at

http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/3065.htm

Yours sincerely

HSCB Pharmacy and Medicines Management Team

Kind regards

Mike

Sent on behalf of Prof Mike Mawhinney | Head of Regulatory Affairs

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Dear Colleague,

REISSUE OF NI MEDICINES MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER SUPPLEMENT

Please see attached amended Insulin Safety supplement for your information.

Amendment on Page 1:
Previously reads: Novorapid 30 FlexPen®
Now reads: Novorapid FlexPen®

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

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CLOSING DATE *** TODAY *** 10th November 2020

Dear Colleague,

HSCB £4.75m Community Pharmacy Staff Funding – Reminder to complete and return the Appendix A Declaration to HSCB by Tuesday 10th November 2020

I write to remind you to complete and submit Appendix A, contained within the £4.75m Staff funding allocation letter from Joe Brogan dated 27th October 2020, to HSCB offices on or before Tuesday 10th November 2020 so that HSCB can process the payment(s) to the pharmacy(-ies) you operate.

Please ensure that a separate Appendix A form is completed and submitted to HSCB for each pharmacy you operate.

You will be aware that in order to avail of the funding you will have to complete and retain an outline plan, Appendix B to the letter, summarising how you intend to utilise the funding to support the continued delivery of pharmacy services for the period up to March 2021.

The following may assist you in drafting the plan for each of the pharmacies you operate:-

  • Review and identify the increased staff costs you incurred in the period July 2020 to date.
  • Consider the additional staff costs you identified for the period March 2020 – June 2020 and which were included in the Staff Funding Assurance return that you submitted to HSCB in June. These can be used to benchmark the range and quantum of additional staff costs that you might reasonably anticipate incurring through to March 2021.
  • Consider the attached CPNI Assurance Template Factsheet to identify any other additional staff cost elements that may be relevant to the pharmacy(-ies) you operate.

Upon completion, Appendix B should be retained so that you can use it in the follow-up Staff Funding Assurance process that HSCB will undertake in due course.

In summary

  • Complete and return Appendix A for each pharmacy you operate to HSCB on or before 10th November 2020.
  • Complete and retain Appendix B for each pharmacy you operate for future reference and use.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices should you require any additional information.

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

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