Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague
While the majority of pharmacies have now submitted their CPAF declaration, returns are still being accepted by local HSCB offices. If you have yet to submit your declaration, please do so as soon as practically possible.

Please find previous correspondence HERE from Joe Brogan, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management.

SUMMARY

  • HSCB is seeking completion of the Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework (CPAF) declaration form for your pharmacy, for the 2021/2022 year.
  • The aim and purpose of the framework is to monitor compliance with Terms of Service, service specifications, related professional standards and best practice guidance.
  • HSCB has recently worked with CPNI to review, update and agree the Assurance framework for the 2021/22 year.
  • A payment of £1200 will be made to each pharmacy, upon return of the completed declaration, for compliance with the CPAF process in 2021/22.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • Complete and return the individual prepopulated declaration form which you will have received by secure email. The majority of community pharmacies have already submitted this, and contractors are encouraged to submit to please submit a return for each pharmacy you operate, to your local HSCB office via email ASAP.
  • You are also required to submit a copy of your practice leaflet and complaints procedure.
  • CPNI have produced a guidance document and resources to support you with this submission, including a template practice leaflet, available on CPNI’s website HERE.
  • Please do not hesitate to contact your local Local Integrated Care Offices or the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Health and Social Care Board.

SUMMARY

  • The Community Pharmacy Emergency Supply during a Pandemic Service commenced on Monday 6 April 2020.
  • Approximately 9,500 items are supplied each month, via the service, to patients in Northern Ireland.
  • As we move out of the current phase of the pandemic, the HSCB will be seeking to commission a routine Community Pharmacy Emergency Supply Service.
  • To better inform the transition to routine service, HSCB in conjunction with CPNI, are inviting community pharmacists to participate in a data collection survey for a period of one week. The collection form can be found HERE.
  • All entries to the survey could be completed by 5pm today, Wednesday 9 March 2022.
  • A newsletter supplement highlighting some of the learning identified has been developed and is available HERE.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • From Monday 28 February 2022 until Sunday 6 March 2022, community pharmacists are invited to capture  data for all patients who are requesting an emergency supply.
  • All entries to the survey could be completed by 5pm today, Wednesday 9 March 2022.
  • If you have any queries in relation to the completion of the survey please contact your local HSCB office.
  • 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

A meeting took place with the Health Minister Mr Robin Swann MLA at the end of last week where the limitations of the Assembly not being able to agree a 3-year budget were outlined to CPNI. This has impacted on the HSCB and the Department of Health’s ability to secure the requisite funding to properly commission adherence services.

CPNI Directors will consider an updated interim offer at their Board meeting on Thursday 10 March 2022 and a contractor meeting will be held next week to update contractors accordingly.

The conditions that resulted in the action remain with no change envisaged in the provision of adherence services to new patients for a number of weeks yet. 

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
I write in relation to the increased spate of attacks on community pharmacy staff in recent weeks which culminated over the weekend in the stabbing of Mr Conor McAreavey on Saturday in his pharmacy on the Antrim Road, Belfast.
 
CPNI condemns without reservation all attacks on community pharmacy staff and I am sure you will echo my support for, and best wishes to, Conor and his team following Saturday’s horrendous incident, and to the team at Greencastle Pharmacy who were subject to a violent robbery attempt in February.
 
Unfortunately, the frequency of abuse and aggressive behaviour being directed at community pharmacy staff by a small number of individuals has increased over recent months and years.
 
To combat this, CPNI has continued to work with HSCB and DoH colleagues and with other stakeholders to enable contractors to introduce enhanced security measures in their pharmacies.  I will be continuing with this important and urgent work, to ensure that further measures can be put in place to reduce the likelihood of such incidents being directed at you and your teams.
 
In the interim, I would ask you to ensure that the security measures and procedures introduced in your pharmacies are followed so that the risk of harm to staff is reduced. Contractors are encouraged to check that security systems such as CCTV, security alarms and panic buttons are fully operational and that in what instances and how these should be used is understood by your staff.
 
I would also encourage pharmacy teams to liaise with local police and with their crime prevention officers, and to report any instances of abuse, aggression or attacks to the Department of Health using the following link HERE.
 
CPNI will continue to support contractors and your teams going forward, and should you need any additional information in relation to staff safety and pharmacy security please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
Please find correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Health and Social Care Board.

SUMMARY

  • We understand that due to the pandemic it may not have been possible for many pharmacies to have completed the care home visit by the end of March 2022. Therefore, the time period for completion of the visit has been extended to the end of April 2022.
  • To better inform the service moving forward and to understand the current position in relation to the number of care home visits completed or scheduled, community pharmacists are invited to participate in a data collection survey for a period of one week, today Monday 7 March 2022 until Sunday 13 March 2022.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • From today Monday 7 March 2022 unitl Sunday 13 March 2022, community pharmacists are invited to capture the following data:
    • For all contracted care homes record the number of phone calls, regarding any care home resident, received from or made to:
      • GP Practice
      • Health Care Professional
      • Trust staff
      • Care Home staff
    • Activity in relation to sourcing a specific medicine for a care home resident.
    • Do not record data in relation to the dispensing or supply of medicines to care home residents e.g. collection or delivery of prescriptions.
  • Instructions for completion of the survey can be found HERE.
  • If you have any queries in relation to the completion of the survey please contact your local HSCB office.
  • 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 correspondence HERE from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Health and Social Care Board. 

SUMMARY

  • We understand that due to the pandemic it may not have been possible for many pharmacies to have completed the care home visit by the end of March 2022. Therefore, the time period for completion of the visit has been extended to the end of April 2022.
  • To better inform the service moving forward and to understand the current position in relation to the number of care home visits completed or scheduled, community pharmacists are invited to participate in a data collection survey for a period of one week, Monday 7 March 2022 until Sunday 13 March 2022.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • From Monday 7 March 2022 unitl Sunday 13 March 2022, community pharmacists are invited to capture the following data:
    • For all contracted care homes record the number of phone calls, regarding any care home resident, received from or made to:
      • GP Practice
      • Health Care Professional
      • Trust staff
      • Care Home staff
    • Activity in relation to sourcing a specific medicine for a care home resident.
    • Do not record data in relation to the dispensing or supply of medicines to care home residents e.g. collection or delivery of prescriptions.
  • Instructions for completion of the survey can be found HERE.
  • If you have any queries in relation to the completion of the survey please contact your local HSCB office.
  • 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