Archives: Contractor Email

REMINDER: Pharmacies who have not yet sent in a return with the number of patients currently being provided with adherence support, may still do so using this link, up to Wednesday 5th June.  Information previously issued in relation to adherence support is copied below for your convenience.

Dear Contractor

Correspondence has been issued by SPPG 4th April 2024 regarding Community Pharmacy Adherence Support.

SUMMARY

  • Since 1st May 2023 the Drug Tariff has been changed so that instalment dispensing is an exception facility for use only where the prescriber considers it essential to prevent abuse or misuse.
  • As public funding is being utilised to support community pharmacies in meeting their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), SPPG are requesting information on the number of patients currently being provided with adherence support.
  • Adherence support includes provision of a Monitored Dosage System (MDS), pill crushers, reminder charts/alarms, or dexterity aids.
  • All patients receiving adherence support should be included with the following exceptions:
    • Patients who reside in Care Homes whose medicines are provided via MDS.
    • Patients with an instalment endorsement to prevent misuse or abuse of their medicines i.e. dispensing in skillets for daily or weekly patients. Please note: where these patients receive a form of adherence support such as MDS, they should be included on your list. There are instances where a patient receives both instalment dispensing and adherence support.
    • Patients who do not require support as a reasonable adjustment under DDA but for whom the pharmacy still provide adherence support e.g. requested for convenience.
  • The quarterly adherence return which was previously required will now be stood down.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the reminder issued by SPPG 26th April 2024 regarding Community Pharmacy Adherence Support and share with relevant team members.
  • SPPG are requesting those pharmacies who have yet to send a return to do so by using the following link by Friday 3rd May 2024. 
  • The quarterly adherence return will now be stood down and is no longer required.
  • Guidance is available which provides information to community pharmacies in relation to their statutory requirements under DDA.

For any further information please contact CPNI offices.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor

Further to CU#240524B I want to thank you and your teams for participating in this important community pharmacy public awareness campaign and to ask you to arrange for the signed petitions in your pharmacy(-ies) to be returned securely to CPNI at 5 Annadale Avenue, Belfast, BT7 3JH no later than Friday 31st May 2024.

CPNI will be meeting with MLAs at the All Party Group on Community Pharmacy meeting in Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Tuesday 4th June 2024 at which we will present the signed petitions to the MLAs to demonstrate the level of public support for both community pharmacy and fair funding being provided to the community pharmacy sector in Northern Ireland.

I want to thank you again for participating in this important public awareness campaign, with thanks also being extended to those contractors who have already returned their signed petitions to CPNI.

Thank-you once again for your support.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI has issued correspondence dated 24 May 2024 indicating that in response to current supply disruptions of Creon 10,000 and 25,000 gastro-resistant capsules, two SSPs (SSP060 and SSP061) have been issued.

Both SSPs are due to expire on Friday 22 November 2024.

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.
  • Operational guidance on the implementation of SSPs in Northern Ireland can be found on the BSO website.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Note the issue of SSP060 and SSP061.  
  • Note that the letter giving the key points, and the full SSPs are available on the Business Services Organisation dedicated page on its website.
  • Note the 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.
  • Ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of this update.

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 has issued correspondence dated 23 May 2024 reactivating serious shortage protocols SSP053 and SSP054 for clarithromycin 125mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml oral suspensions.

Both reactivated SSPs are due to expire on Friday 21 June 2024.

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.
  • Operational guidance on the implementation of SSPs in Northern Ireland can be found on the BSO website.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Note that the serious shortage protocols SSP053 and SSP054 for clarithromycin 125mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml oral suspensions have been reactivated. 
  • Note that the letter giving the key points, and the full SSPs are available on the Business Services Organisation dedicated page on its website.
  • Note the 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.
  • Ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of this update.

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

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

MHRA UPDATE

Request to Return Completed Community Pharmacy Awareness Campaign Petitions to CPNI by Friday 31st May 2024

Further to CU#240516A I want to thank you and your teams for participating in this important community pharmacy public awareness campaign and to ask you to arrange for the signed petitions in your pharmacy(-ies) to be returned securely to CPNI at 5 Annadale Avenue, Belfast, BT7 3JH no later than Friday 31st May 2024.

CPNI will be meeting with MLAs at the All Party Group (Community Pharmacy) meeting in Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Tuesday 4th June 2024 and this meeting will enable us to present the signed petitions to the MLAs and to demonstrate the level of public support for both community pharmacy and fair funding being provided to the community pharmacy sector in Northern Ireland.

I want to thank you again for participating in this important public awareness campaign, with thanks also being extended to those contractors who have already returned their signed petitions to CPNI.

Thank-you once again for your support.

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 Colleague
The first update of concessionary prices were granted today for May 2024:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension100£2.29
Anastrozole 1mg tablets28£1.26
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets28£5.23
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets28£6.20
Aripiprazole 5mg tablets28£4.84
Azithromycin 250mg capsules6£6.01
Baclofen 10mg tablets84£3.10
Bimatoprost 100micrograms/ml eye drops3£4.30
Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops3£8.14
Bumetanide 1mg tablets28£2.39
Cabergoline 500microgram tablets8£18.48
Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% gel60£22.91
Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% ointment30£10.71
Cefalexin 250mg capsules28£2.14
Cefalexin 500mg capsules21£2.80
Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops10£5.26
Cinacalcet 30mg tablets28£7.81
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension70£5.21
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension70£5.86
Co-amoxiclav 250mg/125mg tablets21£3.29
Co-amoxiclav 250mg/62mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£2.40
Co-amoxiclav 500mg/125mg tablets21£3.98
Co-beneldopa 12.5mg/50mg capsules100£4.96
Co-careldopa 25mg/100mg tablets100£8.10
Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets100£4.50
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg capsules100£5.35
Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules30£6.45
Digoxin 125microgram tablets28£2.59
Digoxin 250microgram tablets28£2.57
Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets28£2.56
Docusate 50mg/5ml oral solution sugar free300£17.97
Donepezil 5mg tablets28£1.73
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free60£24.03
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops5£3.70
Duloxetine 20mg gastro-resistant capsules28£8.29
Duloxetine 30mg gastro-resistant capsules28£2.08
Duloxetine 40mg gastro-resistant capsules56£10.50
Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules28£2.90
Enalapril 10mg tablets28£0.78
Escitalopram 10mg tablets28£1.66
Escitalopram 20mg tablets28£2.66
Escitalopram 5mg tablets28£5.96
Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant capsules28£3.80
Estradiol 10microgram pessaries24£10.75
Etoricoxib 30mg tablets28£4.49
Etoricoxib 60mg tablets28£10.81
Etoricoxib 90mg tablets28£8.50
Ezetimibe 10mg tablets28£6.17
Famotidine 40mg tablets28£29.17
Fenofibrate micronised 160mg tablets28£3.32
Haloperidol 1.5mg tablets28£3.86
Haloperidol 5mg tablets28£3.96
Irbesartan 300mg tablets28£1.31
Isotretinoin 20mg capsules30£10.25
Itraconazole 100mg capsules15£10.20
Ketoconazole 2% shampoo120£17.51
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution500£3.77
Lamotrigine 200mg tablets56£4.73
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops2.5£5.86
Lofepramine 70mg tablets56£21.33
Mebeverine 200mg modified-release capsules60£6.62
Memantine 10mg tablets28£1.26
Memantine 10mg/ml oral solution sugar free50£31.90
Memantine 20mg tablets28£1.45
Metformin 1g modified-release tablets56£3.48
Metformin 500mg modified-release tablets56£1.74
Methylphenidate 10mg tablets30£3.31
Metoclopramide 10mg tablets28£0.96
Metoprolol 100mg tablets28£2.69
Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules10£6.81
Mometasone 0.1% ointment30£3.52
Mometasone 50micrograms/dose nasal spray140£9.20
Montelukast 10mg tablets28£1.75
Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules10£6.66
Moxonidine 200microgram tablets28£6.08
Mycophenolate mofetil 500mg tablets50£7.97
Nebivolol 2.5mg tablets28£10.87
Nebivolol 5mg tablets28£4.60
Nortriptyline 10mg tablets100£3.86
Olanzapine 10mg tablets28£3.31
Olanzapine 20mg tablets28£1.92
Ondansetron 4mg tablets10£6.32
Oxycodone 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules5£7.35
Paracetamol 500mg effervescent tablets100£6.37
Pregabalin 100mg capsules84£2.32
Pregabalin 150mg capsules56£2.12
Pregabalin 200mg capsules84£4.31
Pregabalin 300mg capsules56£2.75
Pregabalin 50mg capsules84£22.20
Primidone 250mg tablets100£88.02
Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets50£8.53
Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets28£1.71
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets200£17.99
Quetiapine 100mg tablets60£2.27
Quetiapine 150mg tablets60£3.10
Quetiapine 200mg tablets60£5.20
Quetiapine 300mg tablets60£11.28
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets28£7.32
Quinine sulfate 300mg tablets28£3.10
Rasagiline 1mg tablets28£35.19
Risperidone 2mg tablets60£1.92
Risperidone 4mg tablets60£2.21
Rizatriptan 10mg tablets3£7.38
Ropinirole 1mg tablets84£33.67
Ropinirole 2mg tablets28£31.51
Ropinirole 500microgram tablets28£15.75
Salbutamol 2.5mg/2.5ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials20£18.45
Simvastatin 20mg tablets28£0.93
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules20£9.50
Sodium valproate 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free300£10.23
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment60£37.62
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules30£14.93
Temazepam 10mg tablets28£24.69
Terbinafine 1% cream15£3.52
Terbinafine 1% cream30£6.78
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets60£13.71
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets6£17.33
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets12£34.66
Zonisamide 50mg capsules56£28.32
Zonisamide 100mg capsules56£27.69

Note: CPNI is aware of issues relating to the availability and price of some concessionary lines.  CPNI has raised this with SPPG colleagues and awaits a response.

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