Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague
Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, SPPG.

SUMMARY

  • The Emergency Supply Service is now considered a core pharmaceutical service, there is no requirement for contractors to return a signed contract to SPPG.
  • There are some differences in the regulations, therefore a new service specification and guidance document have been developed for the routine service and are available HERE.
  • Service funding will be allocated to pharmacies on the following basis:
    • One third divided equally amongst contractors.
    • The remaining two thirds allocated on ESS activity volume, based on latest month’s available data e.g., October 2022 payment will be based on number of ESS consultations in July 2022.
  • A recording of the ECHO “Emergency Supply Service” training session from the 30 August 2022 is available to view HERE.

ACTION

  • Contractors and pharmacists involved in the provision of this service are asked to review the correspondence.
  • If you have any queries about this service, please contact your local SPPG Pharmacy Adviser.
  • Please contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BSO ALERTS

  • Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
  • Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
  • Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails.
Or report medicine shortages, pricing and staffing issues via the 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 
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist
Dear Colleague
The fifth update of concessionary prices were granted today for September 2022:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets28£78.00
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets28£45.00
Aripiprazole 1mg/ml oral solution150£105.87
Aripiprazole 5mg tablets28£37.55
Baclofen 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free300£3.91
Citalopram 10mg tablets28£1.72
Citalopram 20mg tablets28£3.09
Clonidine 25microgram tablets112£19.18
Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries1£9.31
Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets28£4.06
Desloratadine 5mg tablets30£3.65
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops5£4.61
Dosulepin 25mg capsules28£4.63
Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets28£5.21
Glyceryl trinitrate 500microgram sublingual tablets100£6.52
Ibandronic acid 150mg tablets1£2.53
Ipratropium bromide 500micrograms/2ml nebuliser
liquid unit dose vials		20£3.46
Mometasone 0.1% ointment30£4.14
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets28£3.77
Rasagiline 1mg tablets28£9.56
Risedronate sodium 35mg tablets4£3.53
Risperidone 500microgram tablets20£1.50
Telmisartan 80mg tablets28£1.97
Temazepam 20mg tablets28£31.75
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets60£11.59
Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets56£2.31
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets12£4.68
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets6£2.34
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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE

Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The fourth update of concessionary prices were granted today for September 2022:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amisulpride 400mg tablets60£46.00
Benzydamine 0.15% oromucosal spray sugar free30£3.47
Bisoprolol 2.5mg tablets28£0.85
Bumetanide 1mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£235.00
Calamine lotion200£1.28
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution150£2.93
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£3.10
Citalopram 40mg tablets28£1.60
Clindamycin 150mg capsules24£2.33
Co-dydramol 10mg/500mg tablets100£9.01
Co-dydramol 10mg/500mg tablets30£2.70
Desogestrel 75microgram tablets84£4.55
Escitalopram 20mg tablets28£1.99
Fluoxetine 20mg/5ml oral solution70£12.95
Fluoxetine 40mg capsules30£2.39
Frovatriptan 2.5mg tablets6£11.48
Hyoscine butylbromide 10mg tablets56£6.49
Ibandronic acid 50mg tablets28£93.24
Lercanidipine 10mg tablets28£3.71
Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free300£21.28
Lisinopril 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£198.00
Naproxen 250mg gastro-resistant tablets56£2.99
Naproxen 500mg gastro-resistant tablets56£6.05
Naratriptan 2.5mg tablets6£2.75
Naratriptan 2.5mg tablets12£5.50
Rabeprazole 10mg gastro-resistant tablets28£4.99
Rabeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets28£10.63
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride
500microgram capsules		30£19.80
Telmisartan 40mg tablets28£1.99
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
SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE

Chief Executive

Dear Contractor,

CPNI has been engaging with the Health Minister, Mr Robin Swann MLA, and senior officials at the DoH(NI) and SPPG in relation to the current acute difficulties in the community pharmacy sector.

The multitude of difficulties currently facing the network have been articulated to officials. These include the financial challenges resulting from reduced COVID-19 funding, reduced margin on medicines, rising operating costs and the resumption of the reclaim of the £35m COVID-19 Advance alongside extreme workload, supply chain difficulties and workforce pressures.

Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmacist at DoH(NI) attended the September CPNI Board meeting where Directors conveyed first-hand the reality of the difficulties in the sector and the need for urgent financial intervention. Due to the issues raised by CPNI, the Health Minister will meet with CPNI representatives on Monday, 10 October 2022. The outcome of those discussions will be considered at the October CPNI Board meeting, scheduled to take place later that week, and an update will be provided to you thereafter.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices, or your local CPNI Director, if you require any additional information at this stage.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
Please find correspondence HERE from SPPG Pharmacy and Medicines Management.

SUMMARY

  • Additional supplies of COVID-19 Spikevax bivalent and Flu QIVc vaccines have been secured from PHA for distribution to Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service providers.
  • SPPG have advised contractors that increased quotas are now available from Movianto. The allocations of these additional vaccines have been made to pharmacies based on activity volumes in 2021/2022. SPPG have asked that community pharmacies to place orders to meet the requirements for the next 14 days.
  • Movianto would also encourage contractors to place orders for both Flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time to help with their logistics and delivery schedules. Movianto have also noted it may take at least five working days for current deliveries.
  • It is anticipated further increases to quota allocations will be possible as additional supplies become available.
  • Additionally, CPVS posters are now available at HERE. Printed versions based on your service contract submission will be provided in due course.

ACTION

  • Contractors and pharmacists involved in the provision of this service are asked to review the correspondence.
  • If the new allocation does not meet a pharmacy’s needs for the next 14 days, please contact Deirdre McAree (Deirdre.mcaree@hscni.net) or Greg Miller (Greg.miller@hscni.net).
  • Please contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive