Archives: Contractor Email

For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Seasonal Influenza Community Pharmacy Vaccine Service 
Dear Contractor
Please see the update below that has been issued 1st December relating to the vaccination service.

SUMMARY

  • An important letter has been issued from the Department of Health NI 1st December 2023 with regards to the Influenza Vaccination Service.
  • An update has been released that recommends to offer seasonal influenza vaccination to those of higher risk of avian flu infection related to their work or exposure
  • From 11th December 2023 Community Pharmacies will be able to offer influenza vaccination to any person considered high risk, i.e., those undertaking bird culling or cleaning at confirmed avian influenza outbreak premises or handling live birds which are unwell.
  • Those eligible will be invited to self-identify as a high-risk avian worker when they come forward for vaccination. There is no requirement for the vaccinator to seek evidence of this.

ACTION

  • Contractors should review the letter received with regards to influenza vaccination for those considered high-risk avian animal workers.
  • From 11th December 2023 influenza vaccination can be offered to those considered high risk, i.e., those undertaking bird culling or cleaning at confirmed avian influenza outbreak premises or handling live birds which are unwell.
  • Where indicated, inactivated seasonal influenza vaccines should be offered.
  • All vaccinations administered to this group should be recorded on the Vaccine Management System (VMS) which has been updated to include this cohort.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI for any further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**
Dear Contractor

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

SUMMARY

  • Correspondencefrom SPPG for Living Well Pharmacies has been issued 1st December 2023 
  • The ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ survey is now live and can be accessed by clicking here

ACTION

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.

For any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact CPNI.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor

Following an alert from the Northern Ireland Cyber Crime Centre in respect of Quishing, CPNI issued a contractor update on the 3 October 2023 detailing the scam.

The Cyber Crime lead in Northern Ireland has sent another example of such malicious activity (below).

Background

  • Actors send phishing emails containing a pdf or png image of a QR code.  This can reduce the possibility of the email being classed as phishing.
  • As with other phishing campaigns, the recipient is taken to a URL which may be hosting malware or a credential harvesting “sign-in” page.
  • URL redirects from legitimate online providers increase the likelihood of a recipient trusting the link displayed.
  • The requirement to scan a QR code increases the likelihood of a recipient using a personal device outside the web or anti virus protection offered by the organisation.

Action

Contractors are asked to note:

  1. The attached alert from the Cyber Crime Centre, and to ensure that their teams are aware that this is a variation of phishing email scams.
  2. That businesses can obtain advice on safeguarding against phishing attacks at www.ncsc.gov.uk/phishing.
  3. That Cyber Crime can be reported to Action Fraud 24/7 at www.actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040.

Further information can be accessed via the links on the Cyber Protect webpage HERE.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI has issued correspondence here dated 1 December 2023 extending the expiry date of SSP057 Estradot® (estradiol hemihydrate) 100micrograms/24 hour patch, until Friday 8 December 2023.

BACKGROUND

  • SSPs made under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 are an additional tool to manage and mitigate medicines shortages.
  • SSPs enable community pharmacists to supply specified medicines in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription, without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber – saving time for patients, pharmacists and prescribers.
  • Pharmacists should refer to the latest versions of the existing SSPs which are now available on the Business Services Organisation dedicated page on its website HERE.
  • Operational guidance on the implementation of SSPs in Northern Ireland can be found on the BSO website HERE.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Review the letter here dated 1 December 2023 and ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of the specific details relating to this SSP;
  • Note guidance relating to the decision pathways for SSPs; notification of GPs; the need for patient/carer agreement, and action to take when this is not given; professional judgement; and actions regarding unclear quantities.

Contractors should contact their local SPPG office in the first instance should further information be required.  CPNI colleagues are also available for assistance.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

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 issued a letter dated 30th November providing an Update on Community Pharmacy Funding following on from recent CPNI engagement with the Permanent Secretary, DoH(NI) and SPPG officials.  The SPPG letter confirms various funding provisions that will be applied in 2023/24.

In addition to confirming the suspension of Discount Clawback within your November and December 2023 BSO payments, the letter states that SPPG plans to:

  • Re-introduce Discount Clawback for the January 2024 BSO payment (December 2023 prescriptions) and,
  • Take forward new discount clawback arrangements which would remove the sliding scale arrangement and introduce, on a phased basis, three fixed discount rates for generics, appliances and brand medicines, with the February 2024 BSO payment (January 2024 prescriptions).

CPNI has consistently opposed the introduction of new discount arrangements within the context of the current level of funding and Drug Tariff arrangements.

This was a key element within the CPNI response to the 2022 DoH(NI) Consultation on Community Pharmacy Drug Reimbursement Reforms consultation (here) and has been clearly re-stated in recent correspondence to SPPG officials and the DoH(NI) Permanent Secretary (CPNI CU#231124B).

SPPG acknowledges within the letter that CPNI remains opposed to the new discount clawback arrangements.

CPNI continues to express grave reservations to officials about the impact that both the reintroduction of clawback in January 2024 and the planned introduction of proposed new discount clawback arrangements would have on contractors ability to meet wholesaler and business obligations going forward.

These, and other funding issues, will be discussed by Directors at the December CPNI Board meeting.

Further updates will be provided to you on these matters on an on-going basis.

Yours sincerely

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive