Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor
The Pharmacy Technician Regulation Project group is currently conducting a survey to gather information on the qualifications held (or being worked towards) by those in technician roles in hospital and community pharmacy settings.

SUMMARY

  • A poster has been provided to help raise awareness of the pharmacy technician qualification survey.
  • The March edition of the Pharmacy Technician Regulation Newsletter contains background information on the technician registration project and updates on progress to date.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Note the contents of the Pharmacy Technician Newsletters and bring to the attention of relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • Display the information poster including the survey link in their staff area.
  • Advise technicians and support staff to join the Technician Regulation Project mailing list to receive all relevant updates.

Contractors should contact CPNI offices should they have any queries on the Pharmacy Technician Regulation Project.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor,
NICPLD has advised CPNI that an email has been issued to pharmacies involved in the 2023/2024 Experiential Learning (EL) programme, providing feedback on placements to date, and information regarding the 2024/2025 programme.

SUMMARY

NICPLD has advised that the correspondence sent to EL providers includes:

  • A newsletter summarising the feedback received from participants to date.
  • Details of the student placement allocation timetable in  the 2024/2025 academic year:
Placement Block 1Placement Block 2Placement Block 3
07/10/2413/01/2517/02/25
14/10/2420/01/2524/02/25
21/10/2427/01/2503/03/25
04/11/2403/02/2510/03/25
  • A survey asking providers to express their willingness to host students during the designated weeks in 2024/2025, with a survey completion date of 21 May 2024.
  • Details of the training to be provided for Practice Supervisors.

ACTION

  • Contractors involved in the EL programme should review the NICPLD correspondence and newsletter, and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • Contractors wishing to provide EL placements in the 2024/2025 period should complete the expression of interest survey by 21 May 2024.
  • Contractors, including those who have not previously been involved in the EL programme, can contact NICPLD EL Lead Helen Hirst, should they require further information.

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

Kind regards,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The final update of concessionary prices were granted today for April 2024:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Benzylpenicillin 600mg powder for solution for injection vials2£5.95
Cabergoline 500microgram tablets8£19.84
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£3.24
Co-amoxiclav 250mg/62mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£2.07
Co-beneldopa 12.5mg/50mg capsules100£4.96
Diethylstilbestrol 1mg tablets28£104.49
Enalapril 10mg tablets28£0.72
Fluticasone 400microgram/unit dose nasal drops30£16.90
Fusidic acid 2% cream15£1.96
Fusidic acid 2% cream30£3.78
Ispaghula husk 3.5g effervescent granules sachets gluten free sugar free30£6.39
Itraconazole 100mg capsules15£10.35
Lamotrigine 200mg tablets56£4.81
Lisinopril 20mg / Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg tablets28£8.43
Mercaptopurine 50mg tablets25£8.73
Metoprolol 100mg tablets28£2.69
Mometasone 0.1% cream30£3.73
Moxonidine 200microgram tablets28£5.36
Olanzapine 20mg tablets28£1.66
Pregabalin 100mg capsules84£2.13
Prochlorperazine 5mg tablets28£1.81
Quetiapine 300mg tablets60£6.99
Ropinirole 1mg tablets84£33.84
Salbutamol 2.5mg/2.5ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials20£16.99
Sitagliptin 100mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£49.00

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
REMINDER: SPPG have issued a reminder to those pharmacies who have yet to send in a return with the number of patients currently being provided with adherence support.
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
Correspondence has been issued by SPPG 15th April 2024 to those pharmacies yet to submit an evaluation survey for the Living Well campaign ‘Know Your Units’.

SUMMARY

  • The survey for the campaign ‘Know you Units’ opened on the 1stApril 2024 and can be accessed here
  • The survey must be completed by 6pm on 29th April 2024, please ensure to reach the final screen to confirm submission.

ACTION

  • Contractors who have yet to complete the Living Well survey for the campaign ‘Know Your Units’ are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG 15th April 2024 and share with relevant team members.
  • The survey for the campaign ‘Know Your Units’ is now available and must be completed before 6pm on 29th April 2024.

For any further information please contact CPNI offices.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published the initial list of concessionary prices for April 2024.  This announcement comes late in the month and follows the decision by DHSC, under the direction of Ministers, to impose changes to concessionary prices from April to try to manage purchase margins.  Community Pharmacy England has opposed these changes.  CPNI will continue to raise our concerns around the application of the English Drug Tariff in Northern Ireland with the Department of Health (NI).  The initial update of concessionary prices for April 2024 are as follows:

DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension100£2.16
Anastrozole 1mg tablets28£1.38
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets28£6.88
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets28£7.30
Aripiprazole 5mg tablets28£6.12
Azithromycin 250mg capsules6£4.45
Baclofen 10mg tablets84£2.71
Bimatoprost 100micrograms/ml eye drops3£4.33
Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops3£8.75
Bumetanide 1mg tablets28£2.46
Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% gel60£22.91
Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% ointment30£10.11
Cefalexin 250mg capsules28£2.04
Cefalexin 500mg capsules21£2.46
Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops10£4.35
Cinacalcet 30mg tablets28£7.79
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension70£4.03
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension70£5.50
Co-amoxiclav 250mg/125mg tablets21£2.44
Co-amoxiclav 500mg/125mg tablets21£3.84
Co-careldopa 25mg/100mg tablets100£7.55
Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets100£3.11
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg capsules100£5.70
Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules30£5.89
Digoxin 125microgram tablets28£2.63
Digoxin 250microgram tablets28£2.51
Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets28£2.78
Docusate 50mg/5ml oral solution sugar free300£17.75
Donepezil 5mg tablets28£1.60
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free60£24.03
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops5£3.55
Duloxetine 20mg gastro-resistant capsules28£7.52
Duloxetine 30mg gastro-resistant capsules28£1.98
Duloxetine 40mg gastro-resistant capsules56£11.25
Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules28£3.06
Escitalopram 10mg tablets28£1.22
Escitalopram 20mg tablets28£1.43
Escitalopram 5mg tablets28£2.50
Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant capsules28£2.81
Estradiol 10microgram pessaries24£9.40
Estriol 1mg/g vaginal cream15£5.36
Etoricoxib 30mg tablets28£4.03
Etoricoxib 60mg tablets28£11.89
Etoricoxib 90mg tablets28£11.42
Ezetimibe 10mg tablets28£10.10
Famotidine 40mg tablets28£28.37
Fenofibrate micronised 160mg tablets28£3.28
Haloperidol 1.5mg tablets28£3.23
Haloperidol 5mg tablets28£4.35
Irbesartan 300mg tablets28£1.25
Isotretinoin 20mg capsules30£9.83
Ketoconazole 2% shampoo120£17.51
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution500£3.38
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops2.5£6.01
Lofepramine 70mg tablets56£18.05
Mebeverine 200mg modified-release capsules60£6.42
Memantine 10mg tablets28£1.20
Memantine 10mg/ml oral solution sugar free50£42.50
Memantine 20mg tablets28£1.60
Metformin 1g modified-release tablets56£3.19
Metformin 500mg modified-release tablets56£1.74
Methylphenidate 10mg tablets30£2.98
Metoclopramide 10mg tablets28£1.09
Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules10£5.33
Mometasone 0.1% ointment30£3.38
Mometasone 50micrograms/dose nasal spray140£9.20
Montelukast 10mg tablets28£1.81
Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules10£8.03
Mycophenolate mofetil 500mg tablets50£6.50
Nebivolol 2.5mg tablets28£10.96
Nebivolol 5mg tablets28£6.00
Nortriptyline 10mg tablets100£2.33
Olanzapine 10mg tablets28£1.04
Ondansetron 4mg tablets10£6.06
Oxycodone 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules5£6.05
Paracetamol 500mg effervescent tablets100£5.57
Pregabalin 150mg capsules56£2.07
Pregabalin 200mg capsules84£4.50
Pregabalin 300mg capsules56£3.08
Pregabalin 50mg capsules84£24.00
Primidone 250mg tablets100£88.02
Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets50£8.43
Propantheline bromide 15mg tablets112£100.61
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets200£17.44
Quetiapine 100mg tablets60£2.15
Quetiapine 150mg tablets60£2.74
Quetiapine 200mg tablets60£3.19
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets28£7.05
Quinine sulfate 300mg tablets28£3.10
Rasagiline 1mg tablets28£36.00
Risperidone 2mg tablets60£1.92
Risperidone 4mg tablets60£2.22
Rizatriptan 10mg tablets3£6.67
Ropinirole 2mg tablets28£26.95
Ropinirole 500microgram tablets28£15.00
Simvastatin 20mg tablets28£1.04
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules20£9.50
Sodium valproate 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free300£11.85
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment60£35.28
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules30£11.50
Temazepam 10mg tablets28£24.19
Terbinafine 1% cream30£6.87
Terbinafine 1% cream15£3.44
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets60£12.24
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets6£16.45
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets12£32.90
Zonisamide 100mg capsules56£23.31
Zonisamide 50mg capsules56£23.57

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