Please find correspondence HERE regarding the COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Programme For Winter 2021/2022, from Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer, Professor Charlotte McArdle, Chief Nursing Officer and Mrs Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer.
SUMMARY
The JCVI advice states that a COVID-19 booster vaccine dose should be offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine course (two doses).
The JCVI advises a preference for the Pfizer-BioNTech for a third booster dose, irrespective of which vaccine was given in the primary schedule. Alternatively, a half dose of the Moderna vaccine, which should be well tolerated and is also likely to provide a strong booster response, may be offered. In cases where mRNA vaccines cannot be offered e.g. due to clinical contraindication, vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine may be considered for those who received AstraZeneca vaccine in the primary course.
It is essential that the booster doses are recorded on the Vaccine Management System (VMS).
Non-trust employed frontline health and social care workers will be eligible to receive their booster vaccination via a local community pharmacy.
Other eligible groups, including all those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions, adult carers, unpaid and young carers, adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals and all adults over 50 years will be offered the vaccine using a combination of GPs and Community Pharmacies.
Ensure follow-up all relevant correspondence from HSCB on the Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccine Booster service is completed and returned to HSCB by community pharmacies wishing to provide this important Public Health service
Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI should you require any additional information.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
As you will be aware, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has launched a open consultation exercise on ‘Expanding Access to Naloxone‘, the consultation closes at 11:45pm on 28 September 2021. A link to this consultation can be found HERE.
SUMMARY
Naloxone is a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and can help to prevent overdose deaths. DHSC are seeking responses to this consultation to assess the viability of proposals to widen access to naloxone by expanding the list of services and individuals that can give it out without a prescription or other written instruction.
This is a significant consultation and CPNI has prepared a response, which can be found HERE. Subject to any amendments this will be submitted on 28 September 2021 by CPNI. Contractors are also wish to respond individually to the consultation.
ACTION
Contractors are advised to note:
The public consultation on ‘Expanding Access to Naloxone’ closes 11:45pm on 28 September 2021
The link to use if you are submitted a response to DHSC.
Please find correspondence HERE for the attention of all Community Pharmacies offering Living Well service, from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead HSCB & Stephen Wilson, Director of Operations (Interim) PHA.
SUMMARY
The second campaign of 2021/2022, ‘Be Cancer Aware’, was due to finish on 30 September 2021, however this is now extended until 31st October 2021.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, in relation to resources, the third Living Well campaign, Flu and COVID, has been delayed and it is intended to start 1 November 2021.
Please continue to promote the ‘Be Cancer Aware’ campaign.
Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI should you require any additional information.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF DR. GARETH C. GILVARY Governance & Support Pharmacist
Dear Contractor
Please find correspondence HERE regarding the continued need for AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination service, from Joe Brogan, Head of Pharmacy & Medicines Management.
SUMMARY
The successful COVID-19 vaccination programme delivered by community pharmacies in Northern Ireland with over 134,300 AZ COVID-19 doses administered to date.
HSCB recognises, given the large proportion of the NI population now fully vaccinated, it is understandable that some pharmacies will have stood down their primary AZ vaccination service, however, there is an ongoing need however, for delivery of this primary vaccination service including the provision of the AZ COVID-19 vaccine, where clinically appropriate.
It is important that the AZ COVID-19 vaccine continues to be made available to any patient who requires it and it would therefore be helpful for consideration to be given to recommencing the primary AZ vaccination service for those patients who still wish to be vaccinated.
HSCB would like to reassure community pharmacies that vaccinating individuals should be the primary objective and therefore recognises that significant waste at this point in the vaccination programme is unavoidable.
Movianto have received AZ COVID-19 vaccine stock with a longer expiry date and any community pharmacy placing an order from today onwards will receive stock with an expiry date of January 2022.
It would be helpful for any community pharmacy no longer wishing to or able to provide an ongoing primary AZ vaccination service to contact their local HSCB office as soon as possible so the map can be updated accordingly.
Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI should you require any additional information.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Please find correspondence HERE regarding advice on 3rd primary dose of COVID-19 vaccination, from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Health and Social Care Board.
SUMMARY
Following guidance from The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and advice issued from the Department of Health. Community pharmacies offering COVID-19 Vaccines will be contributing to the programme by the administration of third primary doses of COVID-19 vaccine to those patients aged 18 years and over with severe immunosuppression.
If a patient is identified as eligible by their GP, they will be referred to community pharmacy for the 3rd primary COVID-19 vaccination dose. The patient will be issued with a referral letter by their GP for the attention of the pharmacist, detailing the time frame in which the patient needs to receive their 3rd primary dose vaccination.
If the patient’s community pharmacy is unable to facilitate a vaccination within the stated time frame, the patient should be advised to use the interactive map to locate alternative vaccinating pharmacies.
Refer the patient back to their GP for further advice, if there is no appropriate vaccination appointment available.
Contractors are also asked to review the relevant PGDs and service documentation, found HERE, which have been updated to reflect 3rd primary doses.
For any further queries please contact: Brendan Kerr (E) Brendan.kerr@hscni.net, (M) 07554773972
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The following concessionary prices have been granted for September 2021:
This is the second update of concessionary prices for September 2021.
Concessionary prices will be paid against the usual code, no additional endorsements are needed.
Concessionary prices may be granted up until the end of the month so CPNI will notify you of any further concessionary prices as and when they are agreed.
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
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