This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

EPILEPSY ACTION NORTHERN IRELAND – Support in Northern Ireland

  • Epilepsy Action are offering both one to one counselling and group counselling for adults living with epilepsy, and those who care for someone with epilepsy.
  • The service accepts self referrals via phone, email, and also from healthcare professionals with patient consent.
  • They can be contacted on 028 9018 4015 or email counselling@epilepsy.org.uk.
  • Further information can be accessed 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 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
SPPG have issued CPVS Update 1 on 11th April 2024 relating to the Spring COVID-19 Vaccination Service.

SUMMARY

  • The only vaccine to be used for the Spring 2024 COVID-19 CPVS is Spikevax® XBB.1.5 (0.1mg/ml) dispersion for injection.
  • The adult dose of the vaccine to be administered is 0.5ml by volume.
  • All staff involved in the vaccination programme should familiarise themselves with the relevant vaccine specific learning materials.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence issued by SPPG 11th April 2024 regarding the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service.
  • Community pharmacies wishing to provide the Spring vaccination programme and have yet to complete the required contract, can do so using the following link by 15th April 2024.
  • Community pharmacies who intend on vaccinating Care Homes can complete the Care Home pairing survey by 15th April 2024 by accessing the link here.
  • Community pharmacies who have paired with a Care Home and submitted a contract, can now plan their vaccination clinics with the respective care home(s). Please only order sufficient vaccine stock from Movianto,  due to the shorter shelf life of the Spikevax vaccine (30days).

Further queries regarding the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service should be directed to Greg Miller  (Greg.Miller@hscni.net) or Grainne McMahon (Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net).

Kind regards

Dear Contractor,

The Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) are establishing a new Service User/Carer Engagement Advisory Group to provide input and advice on the development of safe and efficient pharmacy and medicines services.

Service Users and Carers are invited to join the group to provide people with an opportunity to have their say on how Pharmacy services are delivered and how medicines are managed safely in Northern Ireland.

We would ask you to signpost potential individuals you may know who could participate in the forum to Patient Initiatives.  The group is expected to meet four times per year with the first meeting to be held in June 2024.

By getting involved participants will:

  • Help improve the experience for people who use pharmacy services and ensure the safe use of medicines. 
  • Help the SPPG Pharmacy team understand how to provide better pharmaceutical services and safer use of medicines.

The closing date is Saturday 20th April.

For more information please visit – https://bit.ly/HaveYourSayPharmacyNI, Email: sppgpharmacyengagementadvisorygroup@hscni.net or Tel: 028 9536 3513.

Yours sincerely,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
*** For those contractors who have not yet completed the declaration ***
Please note that there is still time to do so using the link.  A payment of £1200 will be made to those pharmacies who submit their declaration and this will be paid with BSO payment for April.  SPPG have advised that they will be closing the link in the coming days.

Dear Colleague

Further to the correspondence issued by SPPG 14th March 2024 regarding the Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework over 400 contractors have submitted the declaration.

SUMMARY

  • SPPG is seeking completion of the Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework (CPAF) declaration form for your pharmacy, for the 2023/24 year.
  • The aim and purpose of the framework is to monitor compliance with Terms of Service, service specifications, related professional standards and best practice guidance.
  • SPPG has recently worked with CPNI to review, update and agree the Assurance framework for the 2023/24 year.
  • A payment of £1200 will be made to each pharmacy, upon return of the completed declaration, for compliance with the CPAF process in 2023/24.
  • The recently resumed CPAF visits will continue, and pharmacies will be contacted directly if selected for a visit.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence and share with all relevant team members.
  • For those pharmacies who have yet to complete the declaration please use the following link.  The declaration is to be completed by Wednesday 27th March 2024.
  • A copy of the current practice leaflet and the complaints procedure/SOP should be submitted via email to your local office by 31st March 2024.
  • CPNI have produced a guidance document and resources to support you with CPAF, available on CPNI’s website HERE.

Please contact the Pharmacy Advisor at your local office for any queries.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Spring 2024 COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service
Dear Contractor
SPPG have issued important information regarding the COVID-19 vaccination programme 9th April 2024.

SUMMARY

The PGD for the COVID-19 Spring vaccination programme has been uploaded to the BSO website.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence issued by SPPG 9th April 2024 regarding the Spring COVID-19 vaccination programme.
  • The PGD has been uploaded on to the BSO website.
  • Please share this information with all relevant staff members.

If you have any queries relating to this correspondence please contact Gráinne McMahon (Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net) or Greg Miller (Greg.Miller@hscni.net).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Recently SPPG issued correspondence regarding the Pharmacy First Service for uncomplicated UTIs in women aged 16-64 years.

SUMMARY

The correspondence details that 451 pharmacies in NI are contracted to provide the UTI service, and since launch in November over 4000 patients have benefited from the service.
SPPG have discussed with CPNI that 39% of contracted pharmacies have not yet submitted a return for any activity undertaken.

ACTION

  • For those pharmacies that are providing the UTI service but have yet to submit a monthly claim form, can access the claim form on the BSO website here. This should be emailed each month to the local integrated care office for processing and payment of service fees.
  • Useful promotional materials to be used in the pharmacy and the service specification can be accessed on the BSO website.
  • For those pharmacies who no longer wish to be contracted to provide the UTI service, please contact your local SPPG office.

If any pharmacists require additional help or support with implementing the Pharmacy First UTI service, please contact chunter@communitypharmacyni.co.uk.

Please do not hesitate to contact a member of the CPNI team should you have any queries.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive