Update to Opioid Substitution Treatment: Northern Ireland Supplementary Guidance for Community Pharmacists
Dear Contractor
Guidance was issued to contractors in July 2019. This was followed up through HSCB correspondence in November 2019, which underscored important information for community pharmacists providing the OST supervision service in respect of the actions required where the patient misses doses or where there is a change in circumstances.
The service provided by community pharmacies means that the pharmacist is often the first and best placed healthcare professional to make a regular assessment of the patient’s compliance with treatment and of their general health and wellbeing. It is therefore vital that all staff involved with the provision of this service are fully aware of the steps to follow.
Following a review of SAIs, HSCB has written to community pharmacies giving details of an addendum to the original guidance which has been produced. This provides further clarity on contacting the keyworker/prescriber and the actions required by the community pharmacist after missed doses.
The HSCB letter can be found here, while the amended guidance can be accessed here.
ACTION
Contractors should:
Ensure the information outlined in this letter is brought to the immediate attention of all staff involved in the provision of this service, including locums
Retain Appendix 1 of this letter and keep with the original guidance document
Ensure relevant processes are reviewed and SOPs updated as required
Ensure a list of contact names and telephone numbers for prescribers and local addiction teams is kept and maintained in the pharmacy. A directory of NI drug and alcohol services can be found here.
Keep a record of any communications with healthcare staff on these matters.
Colleagues in CPNI will continue to keep you updated.
Yours sincerely
Mike
SENT ON BEHALF OF PROF. MIKE MAWHINNEY Head of Regulatory Affairs
Dear Colleague
The following concessionary prices have been granted for January 2021:
Drug
Pack Size
Concessionary Price
Chlorpromazine 50mg tablets
28
£21.29
Esomeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets
28
£6.57
Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant capsules
28
£4.69
Lamotrigine 50mg tablets
56
£5.58
Olmesartan medoxomil 10mg tablets
28
£4.70
Olmesartan medoxomil 20mg tablets
28
£3.94
Olmesartan medoxomil 40mg tablets
28
£12.95
Pregabalin 25mg capsules
56
£4.20
Pregabalin 75mg capsules
56
£5.32
Pregabalin 300mg capsules
56
£7.84
Senna 7.5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free
500ml
£6.99
Trimethoprim 100mg tablets
28
£3.15
This is the third update of concessionary prices for January 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.
This daily update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongong response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wednesday 27 January 2021
Dear Colleague
In today’s update:
Register for future ECHO sessions
Promoting the extended CPFV service: prescription bag flyer
CPNI ALERTS
FAO Community Pharmacies providing the extended CPFV service The extended flu vaccination service has commenced from Monday 11th Jan 2021 – see previous correspondence here. The uptake has been progressing well and CPNI are keen to promote this service to the wider public. Please share CPNI’s social media posts promoting the extended service to 50-64year olds. CPNI have produced a flyer to promote the extended CPFV service, this could be attached or insert into prescription bags.
Community Pharmacy Flu Vaccination prescription bag flyer can be found here.
HSCB ALERTS
Register for future ECHO Meetings here and access materials from Wed, 26 Jan 2021 COVID-19 CP ECHO meeting.
Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).
Many thanks – stay safe – Gareth
SENT ON BEHALF OFDR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist
This daily update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongong response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dear Colleague
In today’s update: ECHO session 1930-2100, 26 Jan 2021, Concessionary Prices January 2021 – 2nd Update, EOI: Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Mass Vaccination (CPC19V) Service, Reducing COVID transmission in staff rest areas, Reminders: Updating SITREPs and Extension to Living Well Campaign.
Summary: The PHA Contact Test and Trace Service have reported an increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 in community pharmacies where transmission has occurred between staff members. Transmission occurred when staff had been in close contact with each other during staff breaks and failed to socially distance or wear appropriate PPE.
Action: Review the correspondence. It is important to remind all staff that they should adhere to the required public health measures during rest/tea breaks and refer to the appropriate guidance on putting on and taking off standard PPE.
As you are aware community pharmacies are required to complete weekly SITREPs to support business continuity. In order to ensure that HSCB are responding to the most up to date information, the SITREP should report the current position within the pharmacy and any historic information is removed.
Summary: In light of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme progressing further in its “roll-out”, it is recognised that there is an increased demand from the public for programme information therefore, it has been agreed that the current Living Well campaign “Vaccinations” will be extended for one month. This campaign will now finish on 28 February 2021.
Action: Review printable and additional resources as well as service information, that are available here.
This is the second update of concessionary prices for January 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 Medicines Shortage Reporter.
Please find correspondence here for your attention, from Joe Brogan, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management.
SUMMARY
The HSCB in agreement with CPNI are considering launching a Community Pharmacy COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Service initially using the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA 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 the mass vaccination service for the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine under a Locally Required Service, please complete the expression of interest form here as Annex B and return to local offices.
If you have any queries in relation to this service, please contact: Brendan Kerr HSCB Pharmacy Co-coordinator: Email: Brendan.kerr@hscni.netTel:028 9536 3914 or alternatively, contact the CPNI Office.
Please Note:A separate Community Pharmacy based COVID-19 Vaccination Service (similar to the GP COVID-19 service) is also being developed and expressions of interest will be sought separately at a later date when other COVID-19 vaccines are sufficiently available which do not require highly specialised cold storage conditions (e.g. AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine).
WESTERN Gransha Park House | 15 Gransha Park | Clooney Road | LONDONDERRY | BT47 6FN Tel: 028 9536 1082 Email:pharmacyserviceswest@hscni.net
Yours sincerely
SENT ON BEHALF OFGERARD GREENE Chief Executive
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