Please
find attached correspondence from Joe Brogan HSCB and a report of medication
incidents in primary and secondary care, in 2018.
The
report includes information on the main types of medication incidents reported
and the contributory factors which led to them occurring. It also acts as
a resource to raise awareness of good medication safety processes and systems
which HSC organisations have implemented to support patient safety. Key
findings for community pharmacy can be found on page 50 of the report.
I
would encourage you to read and share this report with your pharmacy team(s),
to support good practice.
Yours sincerely
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Download
Dear Colleague,
My email on 1st July 2020
confirmed thata landmark £13.25m funding and commissioning agreement had been
announced by the Minister for Health, Mr Robin Swann. This funding will allow the community pharmacy network
to develop and sustain services, building upon its vital frontline role. It signals a move forward for
community pharmacy as a key service in the new post-COVID health and social
care system supporting service provision to patients. There is a clear recognition of the critical role of the
sector, not only in the safe supply of medicines, but as the fabric which holds
local communities together in times of crisis.
You will find attached, a letter from Mr Joe Brogan HSCB, which
outlines the collaborative work that has been taking place on the commissioning
plan for community pharmacy in 2020/21 between the Department of Health, the
Health and Social Care Board and CPNI. This letter
provides further information on the commissioning plan and funding
arrangements.
The letter also invites you to undertake a HSCB contractor
survey to understand the current capacity of the community pharmacy network.
There are two aspects to the survey:
A telephone conversation between a pharmacy contractor (or a nominated pharmacist) and their HSCB local office advisor to establish details such as access to premises, current/future opening hours and use of secure email
Completion of a more detailed online Survey Monkey questionnaire addressing service capacity
The information provided will help to inform service development
for the remainder of the 2020/21 year. Service
development work will be taken forward within the context of the service
development framework previously outlined i.e. Core Services which are
expected to be provided by all pharmacies; Additional Services which all
contractors will have the opportunity to provide, irrespective of size and
location, and Locally Required Services which will be commissioned
according to local population need.
A service development programme for 2020/21 has been agreed by
DH/HSCB/CPNI, as detailed within the HSCB Commissioning Plan. Within this it is
recognised a number of services will need to be reconfigured to support remote
consultations during the ongoing pandemic period, particularly in preparation
for a potential second wave in the autumn.
Services which are likely to be developed/reconfigured for
commissioned roll-out this year in pharmacies, where possible include:
Emergency Supply Service
Minor Ailments / Pharmacy First
Prescription Delivery service
Smoking Cessation
Oral Substitution Therapy
Flu Vaccination
Living Well
This survey will be important to inform any additional community
pharmacy infrastructure needs required to deliver new service models. CPNI asks
contractors to give their survey response careful consideration and ensure it
is completed by either the contractor or a pharmacist nominated by the
contractor.
When completing the survey, we would advise you to consider the
following:
Current capacity with potential physical adaptations/barriers remaining in place which may limit service provision, compared to the service delivery potential, if these barriers were removed or modified in line with reduced COVID-related risk
Potential infrastructural support needed to enable remote consultations e.g. tablet device, additional PC with access to PMR
Ability to manage prescription delivery demand, need for digital support technologies
Ability to access training from current providers to support a flu vaccination programme
PPE constraints are likely to continue for some time, available supply is likely to require sessional rather than opportunistic flu vaccination service delivery models, consider how this might be delivered either within your pharmacy or in an alternative community venue
It has been widely recognised that the one-hour break at lunchtime has been a positive development during the COVID period and all stakeholders would support the continuation of the one hour lunchtime closure
The closing date for completion of the survey is Friday 24th
July 2020 and we would encourage all contractors to complete it. While recognising the recent and ongoing challenges that
face community pharmacy we would ask that contractors complete the survey with
the same positive, resilient and responsive attitude that has been shown
throughout the COVID pandemic, particularly in light of the recent funding
announcement. This is our opportunity
to deliver sustained and expanded transformative services through community
pharmacy that will shape the future of the network for years to come and firmly
establish community pharmacy as a key provider within the health and social
care system.
Once again I would like to offer my sincere thanks to you and
your pharmacy teams for your dedication, commitment and exemplary efforts to
support your local communities, not only in recent times, but for many years.
Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you
require any further information.
Yours sincerely
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Download
Dear Colleague,
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) – UPDATE AND REORDERING PROCESS
Please find attached correspondence from Joe Brogan providing an
update on the reordering process for personal protective equipment for
community pharmacies. The changes will take effect from Monday 6th
July 2020.
Yours sincerely
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Download
Dear Colleague,
ContractorUpdate – Minister Swann announces £13.25m
Funding Investment for Community Pharmacy
A
landmark £13.25m funding and commissioning agreement was announced this morning
by the Minister for Health, Mr Robin Swann for Community Pharmacy in Northern
Ireland.
The
announcement follows intensive work by CPNI, DoH & HSCB in recent weeks
building on the collaborative work by the three organisations over recent
months and crucially the work and service provided by you and your pharmacy
teams to patients during this recent COVID pandemic.
The
jointly agreed commissioning plan and the associated funding announced this
morning copper-fastens community pharmacy as a critical component of the HSC
and the HSC’s response to COVID in 2020/21.
The
jointly agreed Community Pharmacy Commissioning Plan and funding are hugely
significant and build on the COVID funding released by DoH & HSCB to
Community Pharmacy in March & April 2020.
Included in this email for your information is:-
Included
in this email for your information is:-
· A joint letter by DoH, HSCB
& CPNI to Contractors and pharmacy teams providing further information on
the announcement.
· The CPNI press release
issued to media outlets earlier this afternoon – see below.
CPNI
Board welcomes today’s announcement and views it as a significant and
progressive step forward. It is hoped that this will enable you and your
community pharmacy teams to continue the sterling and highly professional work
you have provided over recent weeks and months, work that has been hugely
appreciated by the Minister, health service officials and the public across
Northern Ireland.
Further
detail will be provided to you over the coming days on the Commissioning Plan
and the funding.
We
hope, in the meantime, that this brief update provides you with positive news
at a time when you and your team have faced many challenges in the course of
providing services to patients.
Please
do not hesitate to contact your local CPNI Director or CPNI offices should you
require any additional information.
Yours sincerely
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF
JAMES McCAUGHAN | Chairman & GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
CPNI Press
Release
1st
July 2020
Community Pharmacy NI welcomes £13.25m fundingcommitment from Department of Health
Community
Pharmacy NI has welcomed today’s announcement of £13.25m in funding for the
community pharmacy network by the Department of Health.
Community
Pharmacy NI is the professional membership body which represents over 500 local
community pharmacies across Northern Ireland.
The
funding allocation is set to help sustain and expand transformative services
provided by community pharmacists, building on their response to the Covid-19
pandemic whilst at the same time going some way in easing workforce pressures
and financial uncertainty.
This
funding boost comes amidst huge strain placed on the Health Service during the
recent surge of the virus and the challenges now faced by the Health and Social
Care estate in rebuilding and transforming services as the pandemic
subsides.
Chief
Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene said today:
“We
welcome the announcement from the Department of Health. This funding will allow
the community pharmacy network to sustain and develop services to build upon its
vital, frontline role. This allocation signals a move forward for community
pharmacy as a key service in the new post-Covid health and social care system
supporting important service provision to patients. It is a clear recognition
of the critical role of the sector, not only in the safe supply of medicines,
but as the fabric which holds local communities together in times of crisis.”
“Community
Pharmacy NI would like to thank the Health Minister, Robin Swann MLA, for his
commitment to the community pharmacy network. We are only too aware of the
extreme pressures the health system has faced recently. Despite only being in
post as Health Minister since the return of the Assembly earlier this year, he
has listened, and prioritised community pharmacy and we must acknowledge his
commitment in finding solutions.”
“We
also commend the work of the officials in the Department of Health and HSCB who
have worked collaboratively with CPNI in securing this funding, which will have
a transformative and positive impact for patients here.”
“From
the very beginning of the pandemic, community pharmacists have worked night and
day to support their local communities. During the recent months, it is clear
that the community pharmacy network rose to the professional challenges and
adapted almost overnight to keep the flow of vital medicines to patients
managing conditions in addition to those presenting symptoms at pharmacies who
were unable to access their GP.”
“This
funding boost is hugely positive and will enable community pharmacy to address
immediate pressures and help with the challenges of the post-Covid Health
Service, assisting community pharmacy to provide even more services to ensure
our communities are served and supported and that public health is protected.”
Community
Pharmacy NI Chair, James McCaughan added:
“From
the earliest stages of the Covid-19 health crisis, community pharmacists were
all too aware that they were at the frontline of the healthcare response. We
saw an incredible surge of patients going to local community pharmacies across
NI to seek advice and obtain vital medicines.”
“The
pandemic highlighted the agility of our network, with pharmacies changing
overnight in many cases. New layouts were designed, Perspex screens were
erected, social distancing measures implemented, and stocks of PPE were
provided to ensure both public and staff safety so that community pharmacies
were open, accessible and could look after patients.”
“The
pressures of the pandemic have had an emotional and physical toll on many of
our colleagues, but it has also shone a light on their passion and energy for
our local communities and our commitment to ensure support and care is provided
at all times.”
“Community
pharmacy is the heartbeat of our neighbourhoods, with many of our patients
coming to us when they needed us most. This new funding allocation shows the
Department of Health’s commitment to ensuring community pharmacy is a key
component to the rebuilding of the Health Service. We welcome the funding news
today and look forward to maintaining and expanding on our services in future.”
Ends//…
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Dear Contractor
Reminder:
controlled drug stock requisition and prescription forms (schedules 2 and 3)
HSCB
has issued a letter (attached) reminding contractors of the requirements
pertaining to the use of various forms to order and prescribe S2 and S3
controlled drugs.
Summary
Contractors are reminded that:
CDRF1 forms should be used to requisition S2 or S3 CD stock for private or non-Health Service purposes (the reverse of the CDRF1 clarifies important points regarding the use of the form, including who should use it and how it should be completed);
HS21S forms should be used by GPs to obtain all CD stock for Health Service purposes;
PCD1 forms should be used if S2 or S3 CDs are being prescribed for specific named patients under private or non-Health Service arrangements.
Contractors are also reminded of the
requirements in respect of which forms should be submitted to the BSO and how
and when this should be done.
Action
Contractors should:
(a) Refamiliarise their dispensing teams with the various forms used to order and prescribe controlled drugs; and
(b) Ensure that the correct forms are being submitted to the BSO when and as required.
CPNI colleagues will continue to support
contractors on these matters.
Kind regards
Mike
Sent on behalf of Prof Mike Mawhinney | Head of Regulatory Affairs
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Dear
Colleague,
The
final update
of concessionary prices for June 2020 have been released and are as follows:
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF KATHERINE KIDD | Head of Pharmacy Development
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