Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

The fifth update of concessionary prices were granted today for August 2022:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Amisulpride 400mg tablets	60	£43.95
Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment	4	£4.52
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£2.85
Cilostazol 100mg tablets	56	£15.45
Fluoxetine 40mg capsules	30	£2.39
Hydralazine 25mg tablets	56	£4.80
Ipratropium bromide 500micrograms/2ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials	20	£3.59
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets	24	£3.49
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets	100	£14.56

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 new Medicine Shortage Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor

Contractors will be aware that the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) recently issued correspondence including a survey to Pharmacy Owners and Superintendent pharmacists in relation to unregistered pharmacy staff roles and courses.

SUMMARY

The PSNI correspondence outlines that the purpose of their survey is to establish a baseline of current practice so that all unregistered pharmacy support roles and courses can be considered during the development of Northern Ireland specific guidance on the standards for the education and training of unregistered pharmacy support staff.

CPNI sought further clarity from PSNI who confirmed:

• At present, Council provides no specific Guidance which applies to the education and training of unregistered pharmacy support staff.
• PSNI Council intends to introduce Guidance in relation to education and training of support staff only, at this stage. This Guidance will relate to expected standards. The intention is that the Inspectorate will be able to use the Guidance provided in its inspection regime.

ACTION

• Contractors may wish to review the PSNI correspondence.
• Contractors may wish to consider the further information provided to CPNI by the PSNI.
• Where they wish to do so, contractors can complete the survey by noon on Friday 2^nd September.

NOTE

• Contractors can be assured that CPNI will give full consideration to the ongoing development of this workstream and the public consultation process which will be required prior to the implementation of any new guidance relating to education and training standard for unregistered pharmacy support staff.

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

Kind regards

Dear Contractor

Please see attached correspondence from Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer, Ms Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer and Mrs Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer.

SUMMARY

• Community pharmacies can offer immunisation to: 
  • All adults aged 50 years and over
  • Frontline health and social care workers (HSCWs)
  • Carers
  • Pregnant women
  • RQIA registered care home staff and residents
• Community pharmacy service providers do not have a fixed patient list from which to undertake call and recall activities. However, they should proactively offer influenza vaccination to any patient they identify as being eligible to receive it on the basis of age should they present in the pharmacy for any reason.

ACTION

• Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
• CPNI continues to liaise with DoH(NI) and SPPG to finalise service documentation which will be shared with contractors and pharmacy teams in the coming days.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor

Please see attached correspondence from Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer, Ms Maria McIlgorm, Chief Nursing Officer and Mrs Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer.

SUMMARY

• Community pharmacies can offer vaccination to anyone aged 50 years or older, frontline health and social care staff, pregnant women and carers.
• Community pharmacies will be responsible for the vaccination of all care home residents and staff, including mop-up visits. Many care homes will already have effective medicines management arrangements with community pharmacies and it is anticipated that these existing partnerships will continue through the offer of COVID-19 vaccination to care homes.
• For care homes operated by HSC Trusts, Trusts are asked to ensure that local arrangements are made with community pharmacies offering the COVID-19 vaccination service.

ACTION

• Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
• CPNI continues to liaise with DoH(NI) and SPPG to finalise service documentation which will be shared with contractors and pharmacy teams in the coming days.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor

All community pharmacists are invited to attend an ECHO training event tonight, Tuesday 30 August 2022 at 7.30pm. Please find attached Agenda including Zoom Meeting ID (Zoom Meeting ID: 994 881 2041, Passcode: 9983) and link ahead of the ECHO Session. Further details can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

The fourth update of concessionary prices were granted today for August 2022:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension	100	£1.67
Baclofen 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	300	£5.42
Benzydamine 0.15% oromucosal spray sugar free	30	£4.03
Bimatoprost 100micrograms/ml eye drops	3	£3.19
Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% gel	60	£34.44
Chlorpromazine 25mg tablets	28	£27.39
Chlorpromazine 50mg tablets	28	£26.56
Citalopram 10mg tablets	28	£1.55
Citalopram 40mg tablets	28	£1.30
Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries	1	£8.50
Desmopressin 200microgram tablets	30	£22.89
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops	5	£3.86
Dosulepin 25mg capsules	28	£3.62
Escitalopram 10mg tablets	28	£1.39
Escitalopram 20mg tablets	28	£1.98
Ezetimibe 10mg tablets	28	£1.97
Gabapentin 600mg tablets	100	£5.64
Glyceryl trinitrate 500microgram sublingual tablets	100	£3.34
Ibandronic acid 150mg tablets	1	£3.78
Ibandronic acid 50mg tablets	28	£98.14
Lercanidipine 20mg tablets	28	£7.80
Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free	300	£7.75
Mometasone 0.1% ointment	30	£3.43
Nebivolol 2.5mg tablets	28	£28.48
Nebivolol 5mg tablets	28	£3.10
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets	28	£4.20
Risedronate sodium 35mg tablets	4	£2.48
Risperidone 500microgram tablets	20	£2.79
Rivastigmine 3mg capsules	28	£3.94
Telmisartan 20mg tablets	28	£4.32
Topiramate 100mg tablets	60	£3.99
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets	60	£16.70
Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets	56	£3.01
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets	6	£2.56
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets	12	£5.12

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 new Medicine Shortage Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards