Archives: Contractor Email

This daily update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dear Colleague

In this weeks update:

  1. Weekly Drug Alerts, Shortages Information and Serious Shortage Protocols.
  2. Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) – SecurMed Support.
  3. Controlled drugs: Private Prescriptions and Private Stock Requisitions.
  4. COVID-19 Community Pharmacy ECHO – Save the Date Tuesday 23 February 2021 from 7.30pm to 9.00pm.
  5. Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service – Expression of Interest.
  6. The PSNI Council launches new guidance on the provision of services.

BSO ALERTS 

CPNI ALERTS 

  • CPNI CU#210209A RE: Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) – SecurMed Support.
    • SUMMARY
      • SecurMed UK, the not for profit organisation which set up and managed the UK national repository for the FMD safety features requirements, is continuing to support the FMD operation in Northern Ireland.
      • CPNI welcomes this supportive approach by SecurMed and askes contractors to be alert for any communications from them on these issues.  Further information can be found at the following links including an email address for any FMD queries.
      • https://securmed.org.uk/
      • https://securmed.org.uk/uk-mvs-end-users/
    • ACTION
      • Advise their teams of the continuing need to adhere to the requirements of FMD;
      • Ensure that the pharmacy is registered with SecurMed, and ensure that equipment and procedures are in place to facilitate compliance; and
      • Make their dispensing team aware of possible contact by the SecurMed team and to prioritise it appropriately.
  • CPNI CU#210212A RE: Reminder CONTROLLED DRUGS: PRIVATE PRESCRIPTIONS AND PRIVATE STOCK REQUISITIONS
  • COVID-19 Community Pharmacy ECHO – Save the Date Tuesday 23 February 2021 from 7.30pm to 9.00pm.

DOH ALERTS 

CONTROLLED DRUGS: PRIVATE PRESCRIPTIONS (PCD1s) AND PRIVATE STOCK REQUISITIONS (CDRF1s) – REMINDER.

  • SUMMARY
    • MRG and HSCB have issued jointly issued a reminder to contractors to forward to the BSO all private prescriptions and stock requisitions for S2 and S3 CDs, and to retain private prescriptions and requisitions for S4 and S5 CDs in the pharmacy.
    • The letter also reminds contractors of the need to exercise caution when dispensing prescriptions for CDs and to have in place, and adhere to, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the dispensing services they provide, for both HSC (HS21) and private prescriptions.
  • ACTION
    • Contractors are advised to note the content of the letter, advise their dispensary teams and ensure that proper procedures are in place and are being followed.

HSCB ALERTS 

Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service – Expression of Interest

  • SUMMARY
    • The HSCB in agreement with CPNI are considering launching a Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccination Service initially using the AstraZenecaCOVID-19 Vaccine.
    • The HSCB is seeking expressions of interest from pharmacy contractors wishing to participate in this service.
  • ACTION
    • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
    • If interested in provision of a Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccination Service initially using the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine, please complete the expression of interest form here as Annex A and return to local offices.
    • If you have any queries please in relation to this service contact either: Chris Blayney (chris.blayney@hscni.net) or Greg Miller (greg.miller@hscni.net).

PSNI ALERTS 

Council launches new guidance on the provision of services.

  • The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society NI has approved the publication of new guidance on the Provision of Services for pharmacists in Northern Ireland. Council considered the responses to its 12-week public consultation at its meeting in January 2021 and has moved to launch the new guidance for all pharmacists in Northern Ireland.
Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails.

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).

Many thanks – stay safe – Gareth

SENT ON BEHALF OF DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist

Dear Contractor

Canice Ward, Head of the Medicines Regulatory Group (MRG), has written to contractors detailing the method of inspection which will be deployed from mid-February 2021 (view here).

You will be aware that pharmacy inspections carried out by MRG were suspended in 2020 to allow contractors and their teams to concentrate on continuity of service in the light of additional pressures due to the COVID pandemic, and to reduce the possibility of cross-contamination.  This was welcomed by CPNI Board members and contractors.

The Department’s position is that it is important that a degree of external governance is now reintroduced to protect the public and contractors, but is also agreed that a resumption of full inspections is not appropriate at this time.

Canice Ward, Head of MRG, has been working closely with CPNI to develop a self-assessment document which ensures governance activity – but with the least possible imposition on a pressurised sector in a COVID environment. 

This document has been evaluated and the process trialled by representatives from the CPNI Board.  It was agreed that the assessment criteria covers the statutory and professional parameters within which community pharmacy operates and that the proforma has been stripped back to the bare essentials.  It appears to be a pragmatic and acceptable process for reintroducing external governance to the sector. 

When the self-assessment has been completed, returned and assessed, the inspectorate will follow up, where appropriate, with a much shortened inspection visit arranged with the contractor and which is designed to check selected key areas.  Inspectors will abide by COVID-related restrictions and will wear PPE during the visit.

Not all premises will be covered in the first tranche, but the process will be rolled out in line with the existing inspection schedule.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to: 

  • Note the content of the letter;
  • Prioritise the completion of the self-assessment form if contacted by MRG, and return it as directed within the specified time frame; and
  • Work with the MRG Inspectorate to facilitate a short follow-up visit as required.

Any issues should be flagged up with Canice Ward and his team in the first instance, or with me at CPNI.

Kind regards – Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF Prof Mike Mawhinney
Head of Regulatory Affairs

Dear Colleague

MRG and HSCB have issued jointly issued a reminder to contractors to forward to the BSO all private prescriptions and stock requisitions for S2 and S3 CDs, and to retain private prescriptions and requisitions for S4 and S5 CDs in the pharmacy.

The letter also reminds contractors of the need to exercise caution when dispensing prescriptions for CDs and to have in place, and adhere to, standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the dispensing services they provide, for both HSC (HS21) and private prescriptions.

ACTION

Contractors are advised to:

  1. Note the content of the letter, advise their dispensary teams and ensure that proper procedures are in place and are being followed.

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar or Contractor Emails.

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).
Colleagues in CPNI will continue to keep you up to date on these matters.

Kind regards – Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF Prof Mike Mawhinney
Head of Regulatory Affairs

Dear Colleague

Please find correspondence here for your attention, from Kathryn Turner, Pharmacy Lead, Health and Social Care Board.

SUMMARY

  • The HSCB in agreement with CPNI are considering launching a Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccination Service initially using the AstraZenecaCOVID-19 Vaccine.
  • The HSCB is seeking expressions of interest from pharmacy contractors wishing to participate in this service.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • If interested in provision of a Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Vaccination Service initially using the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine, please complete the expression of interest form here as Annex A and return to local offices.
  • If you have any queries please in relation to this service contact either: Chris Blayney (chris.blayney@hscni.net) or Greg Miller (greg.miller@hscni.net).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

As you know, from 1 January 2021, medicines in Northern Ireland (NI) continue to be aligned with EU regulation and legislation as a requisite of the NI Protocol.  This includes the requirement for NI to continue to comply with the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) and to continue to verify and decommission medicines at the end point of supply.  The UK MVS (medicines verification system) became the UKNI MVS from 1st January 2021.

SecurMed UK, the not for profit organisation which set up and managed the UK national repository for the FMD safety features requirements, is continuing to support the FMD operation in Northern Ireland.

In an effort to reduce the number of alerts being generated when medicine packs with FMD security features are being scanned into the UKNI MVS, SecurMed would like to reach out to a number of contractors here about some recurrent alerts that are being generated, often because of simple issues such as having the caps lock engaged.  In the first instance, the SecurMed team will contact contractors and offer advice by email.

CPNI welcomes this supportive approach by SecurMed and askes contractors to be alert for any communications from them on these issues.  Further information can be found at the following links including an email address for any FMD queries.

https://securmed.org.uk/

https://securmed.org.uk/uk-mvs-end-users/

ACTION

CPNI welcomes this support and would ask contractors to:

  • Advise their teams of the continuing need to adhere to the requirements of FMD;
  • Ensure that the pharmacy is registered with SecurMed, and ensure that equipment and procedures are in place to facilitate compliance; and
  • Make their dispensing team aware of possible contact by the SecurMed team and to prioritise it appropriately.

The CPNI team will continue to support contractors on these matters.

Yours sincerely

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
Prof. Mike Mawhinney 
Head of Regulatory Affairs

This daily update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dear Colleague

In today’s update:

  • Prescription Submission to the BSO Timetable.
  • CFS Fraud Alert: Coronavirus Vaccine Scam Email
  • Weekly Drug Alerts and Serious Shortage Protocols.
  • The PSNI welcomes the Pharmacy Workforce Review 2020.
  • The PSNI Council adopts new Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists.

BSO ALERTS 

Prescription Submission to the BSO. Within the 30 day payment cycle contractors are responsible for ensuring, on a twice monthly basis, that prescriptions are submitted securely and timely to be BSO. 

  • The timetable for these submissions are detailed in correspondence here.

HSCB ALERTS 

  • CFS has issued correspondence warning HSC staff to remain vigilant as criminals begin to take advantage of the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine to commit fraud.
    • ACTION 
      • If you are suspicious about an email you have received, forward it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) at report@phishing.gov.uk.
      • Suspicious text messages should be forwarded to the number 7726 which is free of charge.
  • Weekly Drug Alerts are available here. Medicines Recall – Kolanticon Gel 500ml.
  • Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
  • Serious Shortage Protocols are available here. SSP – Fluoxetine 40mg Capsules.

PSNI ALERTS 

  • The Pharmaceutical Society NI welcomes the Pharmacy Workforce Review 2020 published by the Department of Health NI.
    • The publication can be accessed here.
  • The Pharmaceutical Society NI Council adopts new Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists.
    • The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society NI has approved and adopted the new Standards for the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists on the 26 January 2021 as part of the process of the joint reform of the Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists, announced on 28 July 2020.
    • Further information on the Foundation Training Year 2021/22 is available here.

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar, Contractor Emails and Serious Shortage Protocols.

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).

Kind regards – stay safe – Gareth

SENT ON BEHALF OF DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist