Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

The final update of concessionary prices were granted today for May 2025:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Acetazolamide 250mg tablets	112	£47.22
Cefradine 500mg capsules	20	£13.44
Conjugated oestrogens 1.25mg tablets	84	£52.56
Conjugated oestrogens 300microgram tablets	84	£24.02
Conjugated oestrogens 625microgram tablets	84	£26.87
Duloxetine 30mg gastro-resistant capsules	28	£1.69
Estradiol 10microgram pessaries	24	£10.92
Ferrous gluconate 300mg tablets	28	£1.85
Fluoxetine 40mg capsules	30	£2.66
Fluticasone 400microgram/unit dose nasal drops	30	£17.22
Fusidic acid 1% modified-release eye drops	5	£35.00
Gabapentin 600mg tablets	100	£15.73
Levofloxacin 500mg tablets	10	£10.19
Levofloxacin 500mg tablets	5	£5.10
Mefenamic acid 250mg tablets	28	£7.22
Mefenamic acid 500mg tablets	28	£18.95
Mometasone 0.1% cream	100	£12.88
Nabumetone 500mg tablets	56	£53.59
Nitrazepam 5mg tablets	28	£2.01
Nystatin 100,000units/ml oral suspension	30	£8.75
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets	100	£20.94
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets	24	£5.02
Pivmecillinam 200mg tablets	10	£7.76
Pramipexole 88microgram tablets	30	£3.51
Pregabalin 20mg/ml oral solution sugar free	473	£32.87
Sitagliptin 100mg tablets	28	£4.27
Ursodeoxycholic acid 150mg tablets	60	£73.99
Verapamil 40mg tablets	84	£1.45

Concessionary prices will be paid against the usual code, no additional endorsements are needed.

Please continue to notify CPNI of any pricing issues you are experiencing via our Medicine Pricing/Supply Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor,

The following email has been issued by PSNI reminding all registrants of the delay to this year’s annual retention and the extension to the CPD year.

Please share with any pharmacists working within your team.

Kind regards,

Dear Contractor

The Department of Health NI has issued correspondence here dated 23 May 2025 relating to SSP080 and SSP081 (Estradot® 75mcg patches and Estradot® 100mcg patches) extending their expiry dates to Friday 6 June 2025.

BACKGROUND

• SSPs made under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 are an additional tool to manage and mitigate medicines shortages.
• SSPs enable community pharmacists to supply specified medicines in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription, without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber – saving time for patients, pharmacists and prescribers.
• Pharmacists should refer to the latest versions of the existing SSPs which are now available on the Business Services Organisation dedicated page on its website HERE.
• Operational guidance on the implementation of SSPs in Northern Ireland can be found on the BSO website HERE.

ACTION

Contractors should:

• Review the letter here dated 23 May 2025, and ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of the extension of the expiry dates of SSP080 and SSP081, and that they are also aware of the specific details relating to these SSPs; and
• Note guidance relating to the decision pathways for SSPs; notification of GPs; the need for patient/carer agreement, and action to take when this is not given; professional judgement; and actions regarding unclear quantities.

Contractors are reminded of information issued by BSO ‘Serious Shortage Protocols: Submission Information for Contractors’ which can be accessed here.

Contractors should contact their local SPPG office in the first instance should further information be required.  CPNI colleagues are also available for assistance.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

Dear Contractor

The Department of Health NI issued correspondence here dated 23 May 2025 extending the expiry dates of SSP060 and SSP061 for Creon® 10,000 and 25,000 gastro-resistant capsules, to Friday 21 November 2025.

BACKGROUND

• SSPs made under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 are an additional tool to manage and mitigate medicines shortages.
• SSPs enable community pharmacists to supply specified medicines in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription, without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber – saving time for patients, pharmacists and prescribers.
• Pharmacists should refer to the latest versions of the existing SSPs which are now available on the Business Services Organisation dedicated page on its website HERE.
• Operational guidance on the implementation of SSPs in Northern Ireland can be found on the BSO website HERE.

ACTION

Contractors should:

• Review the letter here dated 23 May 2025, and ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of the extension of the expiry dates of SSP060 and SSP061 to Friday 21 November 2025, and of the specific details relating to these SSPs;
• Note guidance relating to the decision pathways for SSPs; notification of GPs; the need for patient/carer agreement, and action to take when this is not given; professional judgement; and actions regarding unclear quantities.

Contractors are reminded of information issued by BSO ‘Serious Shortage Protocols: Submission Information for Contractors’ which can be accessed here.

Contractors should contact their local SPPG office in the first instance should further information be required.  CPNI colleagues are also available for assistance.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

For the attention of all community pharmacies who are contracted to provide the Pharmacy First Pilot Service for the Treatment of Shingles

Dear Contractor

• SPPG have issued correspondence on 28 May 2025 regarding the Pharmacy First Pilot Service for the Treatment of Shingles.
• SPPG have confirmed that the service will be further extended until 31 August 2025.
• Pharmacies may wish to continue to promote the service on social media platforms using the resources available on the BSO website, and they may wish to let local GP surgeries know of the extension.

Please contact your Pharmacy Advisor at SPPG offices if you have any further queries.

Kind regards

**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**

Dear Contractor

SPPG have issued correspondence on 28 May 2025 regarding the Living Well Service.

SUMMARY

• The ‘Know your units’ campaign will begin on 1 June 2025 and will run for two months.
• The previous ‘Know your units’ campaign in 2024 was overwhelmingly positive and more information can be viewed here.
• Resources will be provided by 28 May 2025 and as per the service specification, posters should be displayed in at least one window of the pharmacy.
• If resources are not received by 28 May 2025, email reception.pha@hscni.net and ensure the email subject is titled ‘LIVING WELL PHARMACY CAMPAIGN’. Failure to report this by 4 June 2025 will result in no resources being provided.
• PHA will release social media posts to support the campaign which can be shared on social media channels. Resources are also available to download on the BSO website.
• Training resources will be detailed in the campaign briefing.
• A requirement for the Living Well service is to complete an online survey for each campaign. Further information on this can be found in the letter.
  • The survey opening and closing dates have been added to the BSO 2025 calendar provided to all contractors.
• The first campaign for 25/26 ‘Be cancer aware‘ will finish on 31 May 2025. The survey will open on 2 June 2025 at 9am, and close on 30 June 2025 at 6pm.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG on 28 May 2025 regarding the Living Well Service and share with all relevant members of the team.

Please contact CPNI offices if you have any questions in relation to this correspondence.

Kind regards