The Department of Health has launched a public consultation on the sustainable and cost-effective use of medicines in Northern Ireland.
The consultation on ‘Valuing medicines: A Strategy for the Sustainable Use of Medicines in Northern Ireland’ is seeking views from healthcare professionals, the public, and stakeholders on proposals aimed at supporting improvements in the use of medicines across the HSC.
The consultation closes on 26 February 2025 and details on how to respond can be found here.
Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF Gerard Greene Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
On behalf of the Board and staff at CPNI we write to wish you, your teams and your families a happy Christmas and to thank you and your teams most sincerely for the professionalism and dedication shown in the care of your patients during this year.
You and your teams have been right at the forefront of primary care delivering an ever expanding range of services to meet the needs of your patients, and that has to be commended.
The roll-out of new Pharmacy First Services such as Urinary Tract Infections and Sore Throat Test and Treat, as well as the imminent launch of the pilot Shingles service demonstrate the agility, commitment and clinical expertise available across the network of pharmacies in Northern Ireland.
Challenges remain, whether they be funding, workload, medicine supply, workforce or regulatory related and CPNI will continue to make representations to the Health Minister and officials as we seek to resolve these in 2025.
For now, as you approach the final few days before the Christmas break we wish you a peaceful and enjoyable Christmas and New Year period with your families and friends.
With best wishes for 2025.
MARIE SMITH MPSNI Chair
GERARD F GREENE FPSNI Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The third update of concessionary prices were granted today for December 2024:
Drug
Pack Size
Concessionary Price
Alendronic acid 70mg/100ml oral solution unit dose sugar free
4
£28.78
Alfuzosin 2.5mg tablets
60
£3.80
Alverine 60mg capsules
100
£4.28
Amitriptyline 50mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
150
£21.80
Aqueous cream
100
£1.03
Bromocriptine 2.5mg tablets
30
£66.37
Cefalexin 500mg capsules
21
£3.71
Cefalexin 500mg tablets
21
£3.15
Clomipramine 50mg capsules
28
£8.11
Clotrimazole 500mg pessary and Clotrimazole 2% cream
For the attention of contractors participating in the Pharmacy First Pilot Service for Treatment of Shingles
Dear Contractor
SPPG have issued correspondence regarding the Pharmacy First Shingles Pilot 2025.
SUMMARY
The Pharmacy First Pilot Service for Shingles will begin on 6 January 2025 and will be offered until 31 March 2025.
Contractors selected to take part in the pilot who meet the service specification can offer the service once they submit an electronic contract to SPPG.
The electronic contract must be completed by Friday 27 December 2024.
There is no requirement to return a signed hard copy of the contract.
SPPG provided live training via ECHO on 17 December 2024, and this is available on the ECHO Moodle site for those who were unable to attend the live session.
Resources will be available to view on the BSO website and will include:
Service specification
PGDs
Consultation form
Monthly claim form
NPA template SOP
Pharmacies can promote the service on social media platforms using BSO resources, and posters will be provided by SPPG to display in the pharmacy.
The fees payable to pharmacy contractors for this service are:
A one off service set-up payment of £200 per pharmacy contractor
A consultation fee of £25 per consultation
The cost of medicines supplied will be reimbursed on submission of prescriptions or pharmacy vouchers to BSO for payment.
ACTION
Contractors providing the Pharmacy First Pilot Service for Singles are asked to read the updated SPPG correspondence and share with relevant pharmacy team members.
Any queries regarding this letter can be directed to your SPPG Pharmacy Advisor.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI has issued correspondence (here) dated 19 December 2024 giving details of SSP079, SSP080 and SSP081 relating to various strengths of Estradot® (estradiol hemihydrate) patches.
SSP079 relates to Estradot® 50mcg/24 hours transdermal patch and expires on Friday 28 February 2025
SSP080 relates to Estradot® 75mcg/24 hours transdermal patch and expires on Sunday 19 January 2025
SSP081 relates to Estradot® 100mcg/24 hours transdermal patch and expires on Tuesday 28 January 2025
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.
Ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of the key points relating to these three SSPs as highlighted in the letter;
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 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
Dear Contractor,
A letter from Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer, dated 19 December 2024 has been uploaded to the primary care intranet. This advises that the Department of Health in Northern Ireland has now joined with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in England and introduced an indefinite UK-wide order to prevent new patients aged under 18 from beginning to take gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues (“puberty blockers”) for the purposes of gender incongruence and/or gender dysphoria, under the care of private prescribers.
SUMMARY
This indefinite order will replace the UK’s existing emergency temporary restrictions on the use of GnRH analogues, which are due to expire on 31 December 2024. This indefinite ban will come into operation from 1 January 2025 and will be subject to review in 2027. These arrangements will further apply to the prescribing and supply of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues – medicines that consist of, or contain, buserelin, gonadorelin, goserelin, leuprorelin acetate, nafarelin or triptorelin.
Who will be less affected but may need advice and reassurance
Support for children and young people affected by this change
Further advice for healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland
ACTION
Contractors should:
Read and note the contents of the CMO letter and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Department of Health NI. Members of the CPNI team are also available for advice.
Kind regards,
Mike
SENT ON BEHALF OF PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY Head of Regulatory Affairs
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