Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague,

The final update of concessionary prices for April 2020 have been released and are as follows:

Drug Pack Size Concessionary Price
Aciclovir 800mg tablets 35 £4.70
Amiloride 5mg tablets 28 £23.90
Betahistine 16mg tablets 84 £5.95
Erythromycin 250mg gastro-resistant tablets 28 £7.17
Hydroxychloroquine 200mg tablets 60 £9.63
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml eye drops 2.5ml £4.13
Metoclopramide 10mg tablets 28 £1.15
Mometasone 0.1% cream 30g £3.02
Naproxen 250mg tablets 28 £2.95
Naproxen 500mg tablets 28 £2.85
Ranitidine 150mg tablets 60 £7.32
Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets 56 £5.89

The full list of concessionary prices can be found on our website www.communitypharmacyni.co.uk

Kind regards,

Katherine

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF KATHERINE KIDD | Head of Pharmacy Development

Dear Colleague,

The emergency supply during a pandemic service, permissible under Regulation 226 Human Medicines Regulations (HMRs) 2012, commenced on Monday 6th April 2020 and operates during all the pharmacy’s opening hours.

Emergency sale etc by pharmacist: pandemic diseases

HMR Reg 226.—(1) Regulation 214 (1) does not apply to the sale or supply of a prescription only medicine by a person lawfully conducting a retail pharmacy business if conditions A and B are met.

(2) Condition A is that the supply is made whilst a disease is, or in anticipation of a disease being imminently,—

  • (a) pandemic; and
  • (b) a serious risk, or potentially a serious risk, to human health.

(3) Condition B is that the pharmacist by or under whose supervision the prescription only medicine is to be sold or supplied is satisfied—

  • (a) that treatment with the prescription only medicine has on a previous occasion been prescribed by a relevant prescriber for the person to be treated with it; and
  • (b) as to the dose which in the circumstances it would be appropriate for that person to take.

It is for the responsible pharmacist to use their professional judgement, based on the above regulations, to decide if and when a supply should be made, the length of supply, and if it’s in the patient’s best interests.

The service aims to ensure that patients can access an urgent emergency supply of their regular prescription medicines, where reasonable steps have been taken but they are unable to obtain a prescription. As the most accessible healthcare professionals, community pharmacists are ideally placed to help support vulnerable patients during this COVID pandemic. The service also ensures equity of access to medicines irrespective of the patient’s ability to pay, helping address health inequalities in the local community.

Contractors should be aware that the emergency supply provisions previously available under Regulations 224  and 225 are still in place and, where supply under 226 (outlined above) is not applicable, consideration may be given to using 224 or 225 (remembering the associated requirements on supply and on record keeping).

When can a supply be made? 

If a patient/representative presents at the pharmacy, requesting an urgent supply of their regular medication which they are short of, after reasonable steps had been taken to obtain a prescription, a supply through the service can be made. There may be instances where there has been a delay in the GP surgery printing the prescription or during collection by the pharmacy.

It is vital your patients, especially those who should not miss doses of medicines, such as patients with epilepsy, continue to receive a supply of their medicines and the emergency supply during a pandemic service is available to support that.  

The HSCB has produced an FAQ document to support the service which is available at: http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/3135.htm

As with all new services there may be some operational issues and we are aware that some GP practice staff are querying some instances of when medicines were provided to patients under ESS. If you are having issues with individual GP practices, in relation to the service, please contact your local HSCB office to discuss. Similarly, if you have any further queries about the service or are unsure about when the ESS can be used please do not hesitate to contact Kerry Grimes kgrimes@communitypharmacyni.co.uk.

Feedback

The service is a great opportunity to demonstrate how community pharmacists have the clinical expertise and are best placed to support patients, especially those most vulnerable, in a professional manner. To illustrate its value and the positive impact on the patient and the wider health service, we are keen to gather community pharmacy case studies, particularly again in respect of those in vulnerable groups.

When a patient has received their medication through the service, it would be helpful to get some patient feedback. What did they think of the service? Did they find it efficient/useful? Would they wish to see the service continue? To demonstrate its value, the pharmacist could encourage the patient to let a local MP/MLA know how beneficial it was, particularly during this time of crisis. 

This feedback and information gathering is vital to help support CPNI in future service development.

If a patient has accessed the service and would be interested in talking about their experience, please get in touch with Jude Austin – judea@communitypharmacyni.co.uk  or call the CPNI office on 028 9069 0444. 

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

INVITATION TO COVID-19 HSCB ECHO SESSION

Please find attached invitation and agenda for an ECHO session being held this evening, Tuesday 28th April 2020, from 7.30pm to 9pm.

Links to register and access the meeting are given in the invitation, please note the meeting may be accessed via Zoom software.

Kind regards,

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

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Dear Colleague,

Further concessionary prices have been granted for April 2020:

Drug Pack Size Concessionary Price
Aciclovir 400mg tablets 56 £3.32
Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets 100 £3.99
Frovatriptan 2.5mg tablets 6 £11.91
Ibuprofen 400mg tablets 24 £2.00
Ibuprofen 400mg tablets 84 £6.99
Mometasone 50micrograms/dose nasal spray 140 dose £5.95
Paracetamol 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free 200ml £4.27
Sertraline 100mg tablets 28 £14.07
Sertraline 50mg tablets 28 £8.95
Sulpiride 200mg tablets 30 £6.86
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment 30g £25.92
Valaciclovir 500mg tablets 10 £20.59
Tamoxifen 20mg tablets 30 £5.50

Kind regards,

Katherine

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF KATHERINE KIDD | Head of Pharmacy Development

Dear Colleague,

Please find attached HSCB correspondence, relating to ongoing supply of medicines to patients in instalments and in compliance aids, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

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— UPDATE —

Dear Colleague,

New link for CPNI COVID Update #73

Please find attached a copy of the letter that has been issued by HSCB regarding community pharmacy intentions for opening on the May bank holiday.

The link for the survey has been updated. The new link is as follows:

https://consultations.nidirect.gov.uk/hsc-new-models-of-prescribing/8th-may-pharmacy-opening-hours/

Please use this link to submit your response.

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

+++ Also see original CPNI COVID19 Update #73 +++