Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor

I write to confirm that a contractor meeting will take place on Tuesday 6 February 2024 at 8pm in the Dunsilly Hotel, 20 Dunsilly Road, Antrim, BT41 2JH.

This will be an ‘in-person’ only meeting and an important update will be provided on a range of current matters.

CPNI remains concerned, despite the imminent restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly, that health service officials do not recognise the extent of the funding challenges being experienced by community pharmacy owners here.

I would encourage you all to attend this meeting.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF 
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Further to previous contractor updates (CU#231214B, CU#240117B) providing information on the application process for the 2024 NICPLD Independent Prescribing course, and the CPNI DPP survey (CU#231222A) further updates are now available.

SUMMARY

  • Information on the application process and criteria for the 2024 NICPLD IP course is available here.
  • The application window for IP applications opened on 22 January 2024.
  • Prior to the application window opening, CPNI conducted a survey which provided evidence that community pharmacists are facing significant challenges in meeting the IP application criteria due to being unable to secure a DPP.  
  • CPNI have made NICPLD and the Department of Health aware of this issue and NICPLD have now agreed to extend the application window until 8 April 2024.
  • CPNI continues to work with NICPLD, the Department and other stakeholders to explore options for securing DPP support for community pharmacists.
  • CPNI wishes to thank all those who took part in the DPP survey.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Note the IP application information on the NICPLD website and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • Note the extended application deadline is 8 April 2024.

Should contractors have any queries they may contact a member of the CPNI team.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
CPNI issued a contractor update (CU#231221B) in December which included the December edition of the Pharmacy Technician Regulation Project Newsletter.

SUMMARY

ACTION

Contractors should:

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 Colleague
The final update of concessionary prices were granted yesterday for January 2024:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension100£2.45
Anastrozole 1mg tablets28£1.38
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets28£13.34
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets28£13.75
Aripiprazole 5mg tablets28£11.32
Baclofen 10mg tablets84£1.99
Benzydamine 0.15% mouthwash sugar free300£4.79
Benzylpenicillin 600mg powder for solution for injection vials2£6.01
Cabergoline 500microgram tablets8£17.16
Calcium and Ergocalciferol tablets28£50.48
Carbocisteine 250mg/5ml oral solution300£7.49
Carbocisteine 375mg capsules120£4.80
Carbomer ‘980’ 0.2% eye drops10£3.19
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£3.65
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension70£4.04
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension70£5.47
Clarithromycin 500mg tablets14£7.68
Clobazam 10mg tablets30£4.99
Co-amoxiclav 250mg/62mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£2.20
Co-amoxiclav 500mg/125mg tablets21£3.47
Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets90£4.26
Co-careldopa 25mg/100mg tablets100£9.70
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg capsules100£6.39
Dexamfetamine 5mg tablets28£22.34
Digoxin 250microgram tablets28£2.68
Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets28£2.73
Donepezil 5mg tablets28£1.87
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops5£4.83
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops5£3.14
Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules28£2.89
Eplerenone 50mg tablets28£4.38
Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant capsules28£3.82
Etoricoxib 60mg tablets28£13.55
Etoricoxib 90mg tablets28£5.43
Ezetimibe 10mg tablets28£15.86
Famotidine 20mg tablets28£17.84
Famotidine 40mg tablets28£28.51
Fenofibrate micronised 160mg tablets28£3.29
Flucloxacillin 500mg capsules28£2.41
Hydrocortisone 1% cream15£2.24
Hydrocortisone 1% cream30£4.48
Hydrocortisone 10mg tablets30£1.98
Ispaghula husk 3.5g effervescent granules sachets gluten free sugar free30£6.32
Ketoconazole 2% shampoo120£18.23
Lansoprazole 30mg gastro-resistant capsules28£1.30
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops2.5£10.77
Lofepramine 70mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free150£147.74
Lorazepam 500microgram tablets28£18.27
Memantine 10mg/ml oral solution sugar free50£45.46
Memantine 20mg tablets28£1.36
Mercaptopurine 50mg tablets25£8.99
Mycophenolate mofetil 500mg tablets50£6.13
Nebivolol 2.5mg tablets28£11.64
Nebivolol 5mg tablets28£6.55
Ondansetron 4mg tablets10£3.99
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free250£8.91
Permethrin 5% cream30£15.29
Piroxicam 0.5% gel60£1.97
Pregabalin 200mg capsules84£3.18
Primidone 250mg tablets100£85.97
Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets50£8.90
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets200£22.06
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets28£8.19
Rasagiline 1mg tablets28£44.99
Rivastigmine 1.5mg capsules28£2.69
Rizatriptan 10mg orodispersible tablets sugar free3£9.67
Ropinirole 1mg tablets84£32.83
Ropinirole 2mg tablets28£28.19
Salbutamol 2.5mg/2.5ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials20£15.21
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules20£9.50
Sulpiride 200mg tablets30£3.26
Sulpiride 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£98.66
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment30£18.87
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment60£37.74
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules30£17.78
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets60£10.83

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
Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer issued correspondence on 31 January 2024 which includes information on the MHRA Drug Safety Update on Valproate and the safety and educational materials which are available to these regulatory measures.  The CMO’s letter is available here.

SUMMARY

  • The Department’s letter includes information relating to the MHRA Drug Safety Update on Valproate, advice for healthcare practitioners, and supporting materials and resources which can be accessed here.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Review the correspondence referred to above and to ensure that relevant members of their pharmacy team are aware of the content.

If 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 Contractor
SPPG have released an important update regarding the Living Well service. 

SUMMARY

  • Correspondencefrom SPPG for Living Well Pharmacies has been issued 31st January 2024.
  • The ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ survey is now live and can be accessed by clickinghere

ACTION

  • Contractors who provide the Living Well Service should ensure that they read and review the correspondence issued 31st January 2024
  • The ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ survey is now live and can be accessed here. This survey will close 1st March 2024 at 6pm.
  • The next campaign ‘Know Your Units’ starts 1st February 2024.
  • The online resources for the campaign ‘Know Your Units’ can be found on the BSO website.

Please be aware the Living Well Quality Assurance Pilot has started 1st December 2023 and will run until 31st March 2024. Further information can be accessed by reading the letter issued by SPPG.

Please contact katie.blair@hscni.net for any further information regarding the Living Well Service.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive