Archives: Contractor Email

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

Living Well Social Media Schedule

The social media schedule for the new Living Well campaign – ‘Move more, feel better’ is available here.

This campaign runs from 1st August – 30th September 2025 and community pharmacies may wish to share the campaign messages on their social media platforms.

NICPLD FTY Stakeholder Committee

NICPLD is seeking expressions of interest from pharmacists to join a newly established FTY Stakeholder Committee.  The committee will support NICPLD in the quality management of the FTY programme, including review of policies and procedures, and ensuring the programme continues to meet the Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists (2021).  NICPD is seeking representatives from community pharmacy FTY providers to join the committee, as well as early career pharmacists, educational supervisors (ES) and designated prescribing practitioners (DPP).

Further information is available here, and those who would like to express an interest are asked to complete the online form by no later than Wednesday 13th August at 12 noon.

Fully Funded Training for Community Pharmacy Support Staff

Horizon Global Skills has advised CPNI that they are seeking applications for an upcoming fully funded Pharmacy Services Upskilling Academy.  The course will commence in September 2025 and successful participants will be awarded a Level 2 Diploma in the Principles and Practise for Pharmacy Support Staff.  The costs of the training will be funded via a Department for Economy initiative, and employers will receive £558 for each employee who successfully completes the training.

A brochure with further details is available here.  And further information can be obtained by emailing catherine@ghskills.com.

Research Participation

CPNI has been contacted by a team in Robert Gordon University regarding research they are undertaking on how pharmacy services can better support people before pregnancy (preconception care).  They are inviting pharmacy team members to participate in a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) panel.

The PPI panel will be informal, flexible, and online, with no prior research experience required.  Further information is available here, and those who wish to participate can sign up here.

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails.

Or report medicine shortages, pricing and staffing issues via CPNI’s Medicine Pricing/Supply Reporter and Situation Reporter.

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
Gerard Greene
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has redetermined the following July 2025 concessionary prices:
DrugPack
Size		Concessionary Price
Fexofenadine 180mg tablets30£4.10 (previously £2.31)
Pioglitazone 45mg tablets28£26.10 (previously £25.25)
Trihexyphenidyl 2mg tablets 84£61.43 (previously £38.31)

These improved prices will apply to prescriptions submitted for payment for the dispensing month of July 2025.

Please note that these revised prices do not apply to August 2025 prescriptions.

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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
SPPG has issued correspondence dated 07 August 2025 regarding the community pharmacy emergency supply service and SABA inhalers.

SUMMARY

  • Salbutamol inhalers are one of the most commonly supplied medicines via the community pharmacy emergency supply service.
    • Frequent salbutamol use (i.e. more than 3 times weekly) suggests poor asthma control and highlights the need for a patient to seek advice and review.
    • Updated Asthma guidance is available in the NICE/BTS/SIGN (NG245) guidance, November 2024.
    • The  guidance recommends that patients whose asthma is poorly controlled should be considered for a switch to a maintenance and reliever (MART) inhaler/treatment regime.
    • SPPG has produced a guidance document summarising the recommendations that apply to patients aged over 12 years.
  • Community pharmacists are asked to use requests for emergency supplies of SABA inhalers as an opportunity to provide patients with advice. 
  • Further details of actions for community pharmacists are outlined in the SPPG letter.

ACTION

  • Contractors should read the SPPG correspondence and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • Queries regarding the emergency supply service can be raised with your local SPPG pharmacy adviser.  Contact details are available here.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
SPPG has issued an update dated 05 August 2025 regarding the community pharmacy vaccination service.

SUMMARY

1. End of Spring 2025 Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign

  • SPPG and PHA teams extend their thanks to participating community pharmacies for their hard work throughout the duration of the Spring 2025 COVID-19  campaign.

2. Seasonal Influenza Vaccination 2025/2026 and Autumn 2025 COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Services

  • The CMO Letters for the Autumn/Winter 2025/2026 Seasonal Flu and COVID-19 vaccination programmes have been published.
  • Operational arrangements are being confirmed with PHA.
  • SPPG will send a further notification in the coming weeks when service documentation and arrangements are finalised. This will be shared well in advance of the proposed start date of early October.

3. VMS Access: Action Required before Autumn/Winter 2025/2026 CPVS

  • BSO are in the process of updating the Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for VMS.
  • All pharmacies who access VMS are required to set up new MFA. 
  • Access to VMS via the current MFA method will be switched off on the 6th August 2025.
  • Contracts for the autumn/winter service cannot be accepted until the updated VMS set up process has been completed.
  • Further instructions are outlined in the SPPG CPVS update and those who experience issues are asked to email Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net.

ACTION

  • Community pharmacies involved in the CPVS should read the CPVS update and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • If you have any queries about the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (CPVS) please contact Greg Miller (greg.miller@hscni.net) or Grainne McMahon (Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
LIVING WELL CAMPAIGN SURVEY
** FOR THE ATTENTION OF LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY **
Dear Contractor
Correspondence has been issued by SPPG on 04 August 2025 regarding the launch of the Living Well survey for the campaign ‘Know your units’.

SUMMARY

  • The survey for the campaign ‘Know your units’ is open and can be accessed here.
  • The survey must be completed by 6pm on Monday 1st September 2025, please ensure to reach the final screen to confirm submission.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the SPPG correspondence issued on 04 August 2025 and share with all relevant members of the pharmacy team.

For any further information please contact CPNI offices.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

A new Living Well campaign has been launched in community pharmacies across Northern Ireland

Patrick Kennedy, Campaign Champion and Community Pharmacist is joined at the campaign launch by David Tumilty, PHA Health & Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager.

‘Move More, Feel Better’ is part of the Living Well service which highlights the role of pharmacy teams in providing advice and support to help people get more active.

The campaign is running throughout August and September in over 500 community pharmacies and aims to raise awareness of the many physical and mental health benefits of being more active – and how simple, small changes to daily routines can make a big difference.

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails.

Or report medicine shortages, pricing and staffing issues via CPNI’s Medicine Pricing/Supply Reporter and Situation Reporter.

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
Gerard Greene
Chief Executive