Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague,

A vacancy remains for a Community Pharmacy representative to join the South-Eastern Area Integrated Partnership Board (AIPB) and I would ask Contractors and/or your community pharmacist employees to consider submitting a completed Expression of Interest form to CPNI for this important role on the South Eastern AIPB.

Community Pharmacist representatives have been secured for each of the other 4 AIPBs (Belfast, Western, Southern and Northern areas) and it is important that the South Eastern area has a community pharmacist representative on its’ AIPB.  There is an urgency in a community pharmacist representative coming forward for the South Eastern AIPB given that the South Eastern AIPB will be the first AIPB to be rolled out in Northern Ireland in the next few months and it is important that a community pharmacy representative is on the AIPB Board, following DoH(NI)’s agreement to include a community pharmacist position on each AIPB.

Further information on the role of the AIPB and the community pharmacy representative on it is contained in the Contractor Update available here. I am also available should you, or any of your pharmacists, require any additional information or wish to speak to me about taking up this unique opportunity to contribute to the workings of the South Eastern AIPB.

Should you, or one of your community pharmacist employees, wish to be put forward as the community pharmacy representative to the South Eastern AIPB please return the completed AIPB Expression of Interest form to CPNI offices by 1pm on Tuesday 28th May’24.

Thank-you.

Kind regards,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor

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.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor

SPPG have issued correspondence on the 24th May regarding the Living Well Service.

SUMMARY

  • SPPG and the PHA are asking pharmacies to give feedback on the operational arrangements for delivery of the Living Well Service.
  • Following on from the focus group sessions held in February, a survey has been developed to allow pharmacies contracted to provide the Living Well Service to offer their feedback.
  • Feedback is important to inform service review, and will be collated to consider addressing challenges and discussing potential improvements.
  • The survey can now be accessed, and will close at 6pm on the 7th June 2024.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence issued by SPPG on the 24th May 2024 regarding the Living Well Service and share with all relevant members of the team.
  • SPPG and PHA have developed a survey to give pharmacies the opportunity to feedback on the operational arrangements of the Living Well Service.
  • The survey will close at 6pm on the 7th June 2024.
  • For any queries in relation to the Living Well Community Pharmacy service, please contact Pharmacy Adviser, katie.blair@hscni.net.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

This is a reminder that there is currently a pilot for out of pocket expenses on laryngectomy and tracheostomy products running until July 2024.

Dear Contractor

Information regarding a pilot for out of pocket expenses for laryngectomy and tracheostomy products has been issued by BSO 25th January 2024.

SUMMARY

  • Laryngectomy and tracheostomy products are appliances included in Part III (f) of the NIDT.
  • Whilst these products are initiated in secondary care, the supply route is currently from community pharmacies via a HS21 issued by GP practices.
  • CPNI have highlighted to BSO that pharmacies are dispensing these products at considerable financial loss as currently out-of-pocket expenses cannot be claimed.
  • A pilot will run for 6 months initially (February to July 2024) which will allow out-of-pocket expenses to be claimed for these item

ACTION

  • Contractors should read and review the correspondence issued 25th January 2024 by BSO.
  • During the pilot period, for any claims of out-of-pocket expenses for items in Part III (f) of NIDT, prescriptions should be submitted in the uncoded/part-coded bundle with the item diamonded.
  • The invoice for the item must be attached, and the serial number of the prescription should be endorsed on the attached invoice.
  • The prescription should be endorsed with the out-of-pocket claim, along with the endorsement Part III (f) pilot. An example of this is attached within the correspondence.
  • Prescriptions issued before February 2024 will not be included within the pilot even if submitted within the February 2024 prescription submission.
  • Please share this information with all relevant team members.
  • Any queries should be directed to mark.nelson@hscni.net or  Edward.Ashby@hscni.net

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

Community Pharmacy Awareness Campaign – Closing Date Friday 17th May 2024

Thank you for supporting the community pharmacy campaign which called for fair funding for pharmacies. We hope you found the resources helpful when engaging with patients and the wider community.

With the campaign finishing on Friday 17th of May 2024, I would ask you to please return completed petitions securely at your earliest convenience to CPNI, 5 Annadale Avenue, Belfast, BT7 3JH.

Thanks 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,

Thank you for supporting the community pharmacy campaign which called for fair funding for pharmacies. We hope you found the resources helpful when engaging with patients and the wider community.

With the campaign finishing on Friday 17th of May 2024, I would ask you to please return completed petitions securely at your earliest convenience to CPNI, 5 Annadale Avenue, Belfast, BT7 3JH.

Thanks again for your support.

Kind regards,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive