Dear Contractor

Please find attached correspondence HERE from Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer.

SUMMARY

  • Serious shortage protocols (SSPs) under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMRs) are an additional tool to manage and mitigate medicines shortages.
  • In response to concerns across the UK regarding ongoing intermittent supply issues affecting some supplies of Estraderm patches, a decision has been taken by the Minister for Health to authorise the issue of two SSPs.
  • These SSPs currently expire on 16 September 2022, however supplies are expected to be intermittent for several months and the Department may reactivate these SSPs at a later date to manage the supply position over the coming months.
  • The two SSPs attached are:
  • The alternative product to be provided in these periods of shortage will be Evorel 25mcg and 100mcg patches respectively.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence
  • Contractors are asked to make all relevant staff aware of these updated SSPs.
  • Contractors should contact their local SPPG office in the first instance should further information be required.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Please see here correspondence from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Strategic Planning and Performance Group.

SUMMARY

  • There will be a requirement that all pharmacy team members who visit Care Homes have obtained an Access NI certificate and shared this with their employer, before proceeding to vaccinate care homes residents in the Autumn Vaccination Programme.
  • Access NI certification can be completed by creating or entering an account HERE. To obtain a basic Access NI check you will need:
    • Home addresses for the last five years
    • National Insurance number
    • Three different types of ID
    • A valid debit or credit card
  • The SPPG will reimburse each pharmacy contractor up to a maximum of four individuals undertaking Access NI certification. The fee from Access NI is £18 per applicant.
  • A claim form can be accessed HERE for reimbursement of the Access NI checks.

ACTION

  • Contractors are advised to review the attached correspondence.
  • Contractors are asked to identify staff and obtain Access NI certification.
  • Contractors area asked to submit a claim form for reimbursement by 31 September 2022.
  • If you have any queries in relation to the changes outlined in this communication, please contact Deirdre McAree via email (Deirdre.Mcaree@hscni.net)
  • If you have any further queries, please contact the CPNI office.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor

  • CPNI are keen to qualify and understand the effects of network pressures such as workforce, workload and medicine supply and the impact this has on patients, communities and pharmacy teams.
  • To capture this information, we have compiled a short survey to allow contractors to share, at a high level, their experiences of these pressures. We would appreciate if you would complete the survey available HERE before Monday, 19 September 2022. It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

  • Further to Contractor Update, SPPG Pharmacy and Medicines Management confirmed that New PGD and National Protocol has been developed for use in the administration of the Spikevax® bivalent COVID 19 vaccine to individuals in accordance with the national COVID-19 vaccination programme and can be located HERE.
  • For pharmacy contracts wishing to participate in this COVID-CPVS, please return by email your completed contract to your local office contact as soon as possible.
  • If you have any queries please contact Deirdre McAree (deirdre.mcaree@hscni.net).
  • Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

Please find attached correspondence from Helen McNamee of the Community Development and Health Network (CDHN), seeking pharmacist participants for a focus group on the social determinants of medication safety.  A flyer providing further information is available here.

  • The focus group will take place on Thursday 22nd September via Zoom from 10:30 to 11:45. 
  • Participants will receive a £10 e-voucher from CDHN.

For further information contact caoimheshields@cdhn.org or visit the CDHN website here.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor

  • CPNI are keen to qualify and understand the effects of network pressures such as workforce, workload and medicine supply and the impact this has on patients, communities and pharmacy teams.
  • To capture this information, we have compiled a short survey to allow contractors to share, at a high level, their experiences of these pressures. We would appreciate if you would complete the survey available HERE before Monday, 19 September 2022. It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive