Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor

SPPG have written to community pharmacies involved in the palliative care on call service in the Northern and Western areas outlining changes that will be introduced to the service from July 2024.

CPNI have been involved in reviewing the palliative care on call service with SPPG and had contacted community pharmacies providing the service for any feedback. CPNI provided the feedback to SPPG and SPPG have now made commissioning decisions on the service that will take effect from July 2024.

The changes will be kept under review so if you experience any issues relating to this service please ensure you advise your local SPPG office and CPNI.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor

Recently, you may have received correspondence from your local SPPG office regarding changes to rota. A review of rota arrangements has been underway since 2023 and CPNI had written to all contractors last year asking for any feedback or suggestions relating to rota in your own specific area. CPNI have provided any feedback received from contractors to SPPG for consideration.

Letters have now been issued by SPPG local offices to contractors who will be involved in rota going forward with updated rota arrangements also shared locally. Contractors have been asked to respond by a certain date otherwise it will be assumed that you agree to the proposed changes. CPNI would ask all contractors to read the correspondence thoroughly and provide any necessary feedback to your local SPPG office by the date indicated within the communication as there is still an opportunity to influence the local arrangements that will be introduced in your area.

While CPNI have been involved in the review and discussed potential changes with SPPG, factoring local contractor views into those discussions, the final decision on the service that is being commissioned has been made by SPPG.

CPNI are also aware that funding for rota has not yet been reviewed and SPPG have advised that once the budget for 24/25 is confirmed by DoH the rates can be reviewed.

Please contact your local SPPG office or CPNI if you have any queries.

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

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 Shortage 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 Contractor
The Department of Health NI issued correspondence (dated 5 June 2024) which includes an addendum to the previously issued HSS(MD) 51/2023 regarding full pack dispensing of Valproate Medicines.

SUMMARY

  • The Department of Health NI previously issued correspondence (HSS (MD) 51/2023) on 12 October 2023 to advise that the MHRA guidance on dispensing valproate-containing medicines should be considered by pharmacists in Northern Ireland as good practice.
  • The Department has, today, issued an addendum to advise that amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMRs) to require manufacturer’s original full pack dispensing of valproate-containing medicines, came into operation in Northern Ireland on 4 June 2024.
  • MHRA guidance can be accessed here.
  • Note:  The MHRA guidance and the MHRA webpage may still refer to the guidance being considered as “good practice” in Northern Ireland.  However, the necessary legislative amendments have now been completed.
  • Additionally, the addendum contains important information on:
    • The background to the legislative changes
    • Information about valproate-containing medicines
    • Why the rules on dispensing valproate-containing medicines have been changed
    • Your role and responsibility as a pharmacist, under the new legislation
    • Exceptional circumstances
    • Reimbursement to community pharmacies for valproate containing medicines, including BSO information and information on Special Containers
    • Original Pack Dispensing (OPD)

Contractors should note that the addendum also provides information on an additional legislative change which enables pharmacists to increase or decrease a prescription by up to 10% (more than or less than) so that they can dispense a manufacturer’s original full pack instead of splitting a pack, known as Original Pack Dispensing (OPD). However, these changes are transitional and will require further amendments to the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations (NI) 1997 and engagement with community pharmacy as part of service provision.  Once OPD is in operation in Northern Ireland, a further communication will be provided.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Note the contents of the addendum letter and the guidance from the MHRA in respect of valproate-containing medicines, and bring this to the attention of their dispensing teams; and
  • Note that the additional legislative changes relating to OPD are transitional and require further amendments to the Pharmaceutical Services Regulations (NI) 1997 and engagement with community pharmacy as part of service provision. Once OPD is in operation in Northern Ireland, a further communication will be provided.

Should you have any queries in relation to these changes please contact a member of the CPNI team.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has today redetermined the concessionary prices for four products and confirmed three further concessionary prices for May 2024:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Ezetimibe 10mg tablets28£7.02 (previously £6.17)
Nicorandil 10mg tablets60£5.05
Nicorandil 20mg tablets60£9.30
Pregabalin 75mg capsules56£1.54
Quetiapine 100mg tablets60£3.25 (previously £2.27)
Quetiapine 150mg tablets60£5.20 (previously £3.10)
Quetiapine 200mg tablets60£5.49 (previously £5.20)

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 Shortage Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI has issued correspondence (dated 5 June 2024) in respect of the restrictions on use of puberty suppressing hormones (puberty blockers) introduced in Great Britain here.

The letter notes that these restrictions apply in Great Britain only and do not apply in Northern Ireland at this time.

Pharmacists in Northern Ireland providing pharmacy services to children and young people relating to gender incongruence or gender dysphoria should refer to guidance from the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland when making decisions about the supply of medicines in this context here.

Action

Contractors should:

  • Note the contents of the letter and the guidance from the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland and bring this to the attention of their dispensing teams.

Regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs