Archives: Contractor Email

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

  • Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
  • Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
  • Serious Shortage Protocols are available 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 Contractor

Community pharmacies participating in the 2025/2026 FTY training programme may have an FTY trainee in their pharmacy at present, or may be due to receive a trainee for the second part of the placement year in 2026.

While community pharmacy contractors are experienced providers of FTY training, CPNI is mindful that the FTY 2025/2026 programme differs from previous years.

To assist contractors and their educational supervisors, we have outlined the ways you can report to NICPLD any trainee concerns, issues or feedback.  Employers are encouraged to report and record concerns at the earliest opportunity.

SUMMARY

General Information:

  • Full information on the FTY 2025/2026 programme is available on the NICPLD website.
  • Resources include:

FTY Support:

  • Each FTY trainee has a designated NICPLD FTY Lead. 
  • FTY Leads can be contacted at anytime by the trainee, employer or supervisor:
  • Employers and supervisors can also speak to FTY Leads by:
    • Attending the weekly FTY drop-in clinic (Joining details available by emailing nicpld-fty@qub.ac.uk).
    • Attending the quarterly support calls between the trainee and the FTY Lead.
  • Trainee’s requiring wellbeing support should be signposted to their NICPLD FTY Lead.
  • Further wellbeing supports are available through:

Concerns:

  • Where an employer or supervisor has a concern regarding a trainee, this should be reported using the ‘Reporting a concern’ tab on the FTY hub.
    • Once a concern is raised, the FTY team will follow the “Dealing with concerns pathway”.
    • Information on the Dealing with concerns pathway and the associated SOPs is available on the FTY hub.  
  • Concerns should be reported to NICPLD at the earliest opportunity.
  • Employers may wish to request a record of any correspondence, directions or advice provided to them by the NICPLD team regarding the FTY trainee. 

Programme Procedures and Feedback:

  • NICPLD has indicated that the FTY programme and procedures will be subject to review and revision where improvements are identified. 
  • Contractors and supervisors are encouraged to share any feedback or suggestions by emailing nicpld-fty@qub.ac.uk.
  • Should a contractor, trainee or supervisor wish to raise a complaint regarding NICPLD or the FTY programme they can submit their complaint in writing to nicpld@qub.ac.uk.

ACTION

  • Contractors participating in the FTY 2025/2026 programme may wish to note the information above and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.

Should contractors have queries regarding FTY they can contact NICPLD, or if they wish to speak to a member of the CPNI team they can contact Ennis.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Living Well TARGET Antibiotic Checklist Brief Intervention Service – Reminder
** FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES PARTICIPATING IN TARGET BRIEF INTERVENTION SERVICE  **

Dear Contractor,

Community pharmacies participating in the TARGET Antibiotic Checklist Brief Intervention service are reminded that they are required complete 25 intervention checklists by 30th November 2025.

Completed checklists must be uploaded via the online form available here.

SUMMARY

  • Further information is available in the service specification.
  • Service documentation is available on the BSO Living Well webpage.
  • As each paper form is completed, they should be numbered from 1-25.
  • As each form is uploaded online, annotate the paper form to confirm it has been uploaded.  This will prevent any duplicate uploads.
  • Note: It is recommended that where possible, forms are uploaded as they are completed to ensure all submissions are made in a timely manner.
  • 25 completed checklists must be submitted to ensure payment.
  • No payment will be made for submission of further forms, beyond the 25 required.
  • Key dates:
    • All checklists must be completed by 30th November 2025.
    • The final date for online submission of completed checklists is 12th January 2026.

If you encounter any difficulty in completing 25 checklists, please contact paula.mcmaster2@hscni.net in advance of the deadline of 30th November 2025.

Please ensure this information is shared with all relevant members of your pharmacy team.

Kind regards,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The final update of concessionary prices were granted today for October 2025:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Aqueous cream500£5.83
Ciprofloxacin 500mg tablets10£5.90
Duloxetine 30mg gastro-resistant capsules28£1.49
Ibandronic acid 50mg tablets28£19.38
Lofepramine 70mg tablets 56£24.55 (previously £23.32)
Propranolol 40mg tablets28£0.76
Propranolol 80mg tablets56£1.38
Timolol 0.5% eye drops5£1.52
Trimethoprim 50mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£16.45 (previously £13.93)

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

CPNI issued a contractor update on 17 December 2024 (here) detailing correspondence from the Department of Health’s Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer (CDAO) in respect of a planned change to the process for notifying the CDAO of controlled drugs concerns and incidents.

The Department has now issued:

The Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer (CDAO) stresses that it is imperative that all incidents and concerns be reported through the designated reporting tool.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Note the reminder from the DHNI Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer that it is imperative that all incidents and concerns be reported through the designated reporting tool; and
  • Note the attached documents and links. Pharmacy contractors and their teams may find this link particularly useful.

If you have any queries, please direct them in the first instance to SPPGCDOccurrence@hscni.net. CPNI colleagues are also here to help you.

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

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