Archives: Contractor Email

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
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 has written to Contractors to provide a 2024/25 Community Pharmacy Funding Update.

The letter confirms that Ministerial approval has been given to extend various additional funding allocations provided in 2023/24 into 2024/25.  This means that the community pharmacy funding position of £142.9m @ 31st March 2024 is carried over into 2024/25.  In addition, Ministerial approval of an advance payment of £1m per quarter (associated with the anticipated Global Sum and non-Global Sum uplifts in 2024/25) has also been given.  This therefore increases the opening funding allocation for 2024/25 to £147m.

A summary outline of the community pharmacy funding in 2023/24 and the opening 2024/25 community pharmacy funding can be found here.

Contractors are asked to read the letter and note the funding arrangements applicable from April 2024.

CPNI, while recognising the importance of the additional investment provided in 2023/24 by the Permanent Secretary and the Health Minister Mr Robin Swann MLA, has been consistent in stating that the sector was still under-funded by approximately £15m in 2023/24. The advance payment of £1m per quarter (associated with the anticipated GS and non-GS uplifts) is also welcome but with NMW/NLW increases, increased business overhead costs and Northern Ireland Drug Tariff changes all impacting Contractors further from this month, CPNI is concerned that the funding deficit is widening as we go into 2024/25.

CPNI continues to make representations to the Health Minister, DoH and SPPG officials and elected representatives and we encourage Contractors to continue engaging with the Health Minister and local MLA’s as well as raising public awareness of the sector difficulties through the CPNI public awareness campaign.

I would also ask contractors to continue notifying CPNI offices if your BSO payment(s) on 30th April 2024 are insufficient to meet wholesaler, payroll and pharmacy overhead costs this month.

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

Yours sincerely,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive