Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

Please find here a revised HSS(MD) 92/2020 letter (previously issued on 24th December 2020) from HSCB  Pharmacy and Medicines Management relating to the new variant of COVID-19 virus in South Africa.
 
Please note there are now UK-wide restrictions in place on those returning from South Africa. Anyone who has arrived back from or transited through South Africa into any part of the UK including Northern Ireland must self-isolate for 10 days along with their household. Those who have arrived from South Africa within the last 14 days are also advised to self-isolate for 10 days along with their household. All individuals who have a travel history from South Africa in the past 14 days and who present to health services must be tested for COVID-19, they should be tested through Pillar 1 testing arrangements – that is through HSC Trust laboratory services.

Yours sincerely

Vanessa

SENT ON BEHALF OF DR. VANESSA CHAMBERS | Head of Policy & Development

Dear Colleague

Please find letter here from Dr Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer, introducing a letter from the UK Chief Medical Officers, a short statement from the JCVI (also summarised below) and an updated Chapter 14a of the Green Book, all relating to COVID-19  vaccination programmes.

Short statement from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) (31 December 2020)

SUMMARY

• There has been a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in the UK in December 2020

• Two vaccines now have MHRA Regulation 174 authorisation (Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca)

• Rapid delivery of the vaccines is required to protect those most vulnerable

• Short term vaccine efficacy from the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is calculated at around 90%, short term vaccine efficacy from the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine is calculated at around 70% (efficacy estimates are not directly comparable between the two vaccines)

• Given the high level of protection afforded by the first dose, models suggest that initially vaccinating a greater number of people with a single dose will prevent more deaths and hospitalisations than vaccinating a smaller number of people with two doses

• The second dose is still important to provide longer lasting protection and is expected to be as or more effective when delivered at an interval of 12 weeks from the first dose

Yours sincerely

Vanessa

SENT ON BEHALF OF DR. VANESSA CHAMBERS | Head of Policy & Development

Dear Colleague

Please see below email from Caroline McKeever, North West Regional College, seeking contractor participation in a review of the current Pharmacy Technician NVQ Level 3 course.

If you would like to take part in this review, please let Caroline know by 27th January 2021. Email: Caroline.McKeever@nwrc.ac.uk

Dear employer,
 
I am writing to ask if you would like to take part in an apprenticeship framework review for Pharmacy Technician Level 3. The review will require the voice of employers, ideally those who have had experiences of facilitating the training element required for apprenticeships.
 
Apprenticeships are funded by Department for Economy and are employer-led i.e. based on industry need and relevance for particular job roles.
 
The work that will be required to do this will involve at least 3 remote meetings, and time to review aspects of the framework and qualifications within.  Your primary role within this forum will involve consultancy/advisory roles; to help shape the new framework provision.
 
Proposed timeframe/tasks for completion are:
Meeting 1: Baseline review of current framework (end Feb 2021)
Meeting 2: Pathways and progression options for Pharmacy Technicians (end March 2021)
Meeting 3: Skills demand, forecast (end April 2021)
 
I will facilitate all communications to Department for Economy. At the end of stage 1 (tasks as listed above), I will be able to progress proposals through the Department for consideration, for change and modernisation of the apprenticeship framework. The entire process could take up to 18 months. However, the sooner we commence the work, the quicker we can see to the end of the review, with a polished product, serving your needs.
 
If you would like to take part in this review, please let me know by 27th January 2021. Email me at: Caroline.McKeever@nwrc.ac.uk
 
Looking forward to your reply,
 
Kind regards
Caroline

Yours sincerely

SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

Please find here for your attention, correspondence from Dr Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer on the deployment plan for the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine in Northern Ireland. 

Please note this follows our recent communication, sent on behalf of Mrs Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, outlining the Department’s plan for COVID-19 vaccine rollout to community pharmacy teams.

Yours sincerely

Vanessa

SENT ON BEHALF OF DR. VANESSA CHAMBERS | Head of Policy & Development

Please find below an urgent communication sent on behalf of Mrs Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer to all Community Pharmacy Teams

Dear Colleague

I know that many of you are anxious about when you will be offered the Covid-19 vaccine and I am writing to provide you with reassurance that community pharmacy staff will be among the first people in Northern Ireland to be vaccinated.  From early in the New Year the health and social care workers’ vaccination programme will be open to all eligible workers in Trusts and the independent sector including in our pharmacies. Providing the vaccine on this scale will be as a huge logistical operation and plans are being developed to enable staff to book an appointment to receive the vaccine at one of the 7 Trust run vaccination sites.  Further details on how staff can book their appointment to receive the vaccine will be released shortly.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued dedication to the service of your communities and to reassure you again that you will have access to the vaccine soon.

Kindest regards

Cathy

Mrs Cathy Harrison
Chief Pharmaceutical Officer
Department of Health
Castle Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3SQ