Archives: Contractor Email

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BSO ALERTS

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
CPNI has been liaising with DoH(NI), BSO and SPPG in relation to medicines supply issues that are impacting on Contractors in Northern Ireland including the unavailability of medicines, increasing medicine purchase prices and concessionary price insufficiency.

The concessionary prices granted in the Final Concessionary Prices release for August 2022 is the latest concessionary price release to clearly illustrate this and CPNI will be making representations to DoH(NI), BSO and SPPG as a matter of urgency.

The pricing evidence that Contractors provide to CPNI via the CPNI Medicines Shortage Reporter is vital and I want to thank you for the information provided to date and to urge you and colleagues to continue reporting pricing issues to CPNI.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices should you require any additional information or clarification.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE

Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The final update of concessionary prices were granted today for August 2022:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Aripiprazole 5mg tablets28£5.00
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets28£31.99
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets28£14.39
Aripiprazole 30mg tablets28£32.50
Hyoscine butylbromide 10mg tablets56£6.12
Temazepam 10mg tablets28£16.96
Temazepam 20mg tablets28£17.67
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
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist
Dear Colleague
The fifth update of concessionary prices were granted today for August 2022:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amisulpride 400mg tablets60£43.95
Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment4£4.52
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£2.85
Cilostazol 100mg tablets56£15.45
Fluoxetine 40mg capsules30£2.39
Hydralazine 25mg tablets56£4.80
Ipratropium bromide 500micrograms/2ml nebuliser liquid
unit dose vials		20£3.59
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets24£3.49
Paracetamol 500mg soluble tablets100£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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist
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 2nd 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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive