Archives: Contractor Email

**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**
This is a reminder of the opportunity to participate in a focus group discussion to help improve the Community Pharmacy Living Well Service.
Dear Contractor
Correspondence regarding the Living Well service has been issued by SPPG 19th January 2024 and can be accessed here.

SUMMARY

  • SPPG and PHA have issued an invite to community pharmacists that provide the Living Well service to participate in a focus group.
  • The focus group will give community pharmacists an opportunity to discuss what works well, what challenges are experienced, and to give suggestions for potential improvement to the service.

ACTION

  • Contractors who provide the Living Well Service should read the correspondence issued by SPPG 19th January 2024.
  • Those pharmacists who wish to be involved in the focus group should confirm their attendance by completing the Microsoft Form provided by SPPG. 
  • The two date options for the focus group are 7th and 22nd February 1pm-2pm.
  • Please share this information with all relevant team members.
  • 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
Dear Contractor
Important correspondence has been issued by SPPG 30th January 2024.

SUMMARY

  • SPPG have issued information regarding Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications on 30th January 2024.
  • From 1st February 2024 paper copies of Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications will not be posted to all community pharmacies.
  • These alerts will be shared via HSC secure email and will be available on the BSO website and the Primary Care Intranet.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG on 30th January 2024 regarding Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications.

Community pharmacies should ensure they are up-to-date with the latest safety information around medication by checking:

  • Your HSC secure email to see if any Drug Alerts have been issued.
  • The Primary Care Intranet, Drug Alerts Section.
  • The BSO website, Drugs Alerts Section.

Please share this information with all relevant team members.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
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 items.

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
Dear Contractor
Information regarding Freestyle Libre 3 sensors has been 
issued 11th January 2024 by BSO.

SUMMARY

  • Freestyle Libre 3 has been added to the NI Drug Tariff from 1st January 2024.
  • This product has been allocated the code 98879 by BSO.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by BSO 11th January 2024 regarding Freestyle Libre 3 sensors.
  • All prescriptions for Freestyle Libre 3 sensors must be coded 98879 over the number of kits dispensed to ensure correct payment.
  • The product will appear in the February codebook on the BSO website.
  • Any queries can be directed to mark.nelson@hscni.net or  David.McCleary@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

If you or someone you care for is a Patient of any Neurology Service in Northern Ireland you may wish to take part in this engagement opportunity.

The Department of Health are currently reviewing Regional Neurology Services in Northern Ireland. They have been tasked with identifying the best configuration of Neurology Services for the next 10-15 years.

The Review is considering how patients are best supported; who provides that support and whether it is best delivered in secondary care, primary care or in the community. They have also carried out extensive analysis of services, which will inform priorities for change.

They are now in a position to invite feedback on the broad range of draft recommendations, to support a person-centred, sustainable neurology service going forward.

They wish to hear from current Patients/Carers of patients of any Neurology Service in NI to ask your views on the following:

  • Does the report adequately reflect the issues within the service currently experienced by service users?
  • Do the recommendations of the Report reflect the extent of change needed to ensure neurology services are appropriate for patient need in the future?
  • Are there any gaps or areas that may need further consideration?

Engagement will take place online late February/early March 2024. Participants will be provided pre-reading materials one week before the meeting.

If you, or someone you care for, is currently a Patient of any Neurology Service in Northern Ireland and wish to take part in this engagement opportunity, please fill in the form below by 5pm Friday 9 February 2024.

To apply to take part click: Regional Review of Neurology Services in Northern Ireland Engagement Opportunity – Patient and Client Council Northern Ireland (pcc-ni.net).

To read more about this topic click: Review of Neurology Services – Interim Report | Department of Health (health-ni.gov.uk).

For more information and any questions you may have, please contact: Sorcha Forbes on Tel: 028 9536 2136 or Email: Sorcha.Forbes@pcc-ni.net.

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,

Further to Contractor Update 230612B please see a letter from CPNI to Contractors dated 26th January 2024.

Following changes on 1st May 2023 to the Northern Ireland Drug Tariff related to instalment and multiple dispensing arrangements CPNI received a number of queries from Contractors for which we sought clarification from DoH(NI)/SPPG and external advisors to CPNI.

The letter summarises the clarification received by CPNI. You are asked to read and consider the information it contains.

The information in the letter can be shared with colleagues involved in the provision of instalment dispensing and adherence support.

The upcoming CPNI Contractor Meeting on Tuesday 6th February 2024 will provide a further opportunity to expand on aspects contained in the letter.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices should you require any additional information.

Yours sincerely,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive