Archives: Contractor Email

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

Resources for Pharmacy Teams, Patients and Carers

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 Pricing/Supply 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
The application window for the next NICPLD IP training course (commencing August/September 2026) is now open. The closing date for applications will be Tuesday 3 March 2026.

Full details are available on the NICPLD website here.

SUMMARY

  • 50 IP training places are available for community pharmacists.
  • Applicants will be responsible for finding their own DPP.
  • A payment of £1,500 is available for each DPP supporting a community pharmacist.

ACTION

Contractors may wish to note the information on the NICPLD website and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team including:

  • Community pharmacists who are interested in undertaking IP training.
  • Community pharmacist IPs who might consider acting as a DPP.

Queries regarding the IP training course can be sent to nicpld-prescribing@qub.ac.uk.  Alternatively, if you wish to speak to a member of the CPNI team you may contact Ennis.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has redetermined the following November 2025 concessionary price:
DrugPack
Size		Concessionary Price
Propranolol 40mg tablets28£2.28 (previously £1.61)

This improved price will apply to prescriptions submitted for payment for the dispensing month of November 2025.

Please note that this revised price does not apply to December 2025 prescriptions.

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 Pricing/Supply Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI has issued correspondence here dated 5 December 2025 relating to the extension of SSP079, SSP080, SSP081 and SSP082 (Estradot® 25mcg patches, Estradot® 50mcg patches, Estradot® 75mcg patches and Estradot® 100mcg patches).  The letter advises that these SSPs have been extended to Friday 30 January 2026.

BACKGROUND

  • SSPs made under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 are an additional tool to manage and mitigate medicines shortages.
  • SSPs enable community pharmacists to supply specified medicines in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription, without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber – saving time for patients, pharmacists and prescribers.
  • Pharmacists should refer to the latest versions of the existing SSPs which are now available on the Business Services Organisation dedicated page on its website HERE.
  • Operational guidance on the implementation of SSPs in Northern Ireland can be found on the BSO website HERE.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Review the letter here dated 5 December 2025, and ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of the extension of SSP079, SSP080, SSP081 and SSP082, and that they are also aware of the specific details relating to these SSPs; and
  • Note guidance relating to the decision pathways for SSPs; notification of GPs; the need for patient/carer agreement, and action to take when this is not given; professional judgement; and actions regarding unclear quantities.

Contractors are reminded of information issued by BSO ‘Serious Shortage Protocols: Submission Information for Contractors’ which can be accessed here.

Contractors should contact their local SPPG office in the first instance should further information be required. CPNI colleagues are also available for assistance.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

FAO Community Pharmacies providing Vaccination Services

Vaccine Stock: SPPG Quota Increase Requests

Initial vaccine order quotas have been set based on your activity from Autumn 2024, if your demand has exceeded your allocated quota please email Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net to request an increase.

In order for your request to be processed efficiently please:

  • Send the quota request from your HSCNI email address to ensure your contractor number is provided.
  • State the quantity of each vaccine product you require to cover the next 2 weeks of planned activity.
  • If you are requesting extra stock to vaccinate a care home please include the number of residents are that are to be vaccinated as indicated by the care home manager.

The timelines for processing requests are:

  • Requests sent before 10.30am will be available to order from Movianto by 12pm the same day.
  • Requests sent after 10.30am will be available to order from Movianto by 5pm the same day.

Living Well: “How are you feeling?” campaign launched

Patrick McCallion, Champion Pharmacist at Bradleys Pharmacy and Clodagh Crowe, Health and Social Wellbeing Senior Improvement Officer at the PHA launch the Living Well: “How are you feeling?” campaign.

A new campaign has launched in community pharmacies across Northern Ireland, encouraging people to look after their mental health and wellbeing.

Running throughout December 2025 and January 2026, the Living Well campaign encourages people to ask themselves and others a simple but powerful question: “How are you feeling?”.

Further information is available here.  The campaign social media schedule can be found here.

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 Pricing/Supply 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 Colleague
The following concessionary prices granted in November 2025 have rolled over to December 2025:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Carbocisteine 375mg capsules120£2.95
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets200£15.79
Repaglinide 1mg tablets90£31.73

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 Pricing/Supply Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive