Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague, 

CPNI appreciates there is a number of returns required by the HSCB over the coming weeks.

REMINDER

  1. Living Well Campaign: Looking after your health and wellbeing during COVID-19  As per previous correspondence your pharmacy is required to complete a short online evaluation survey.  Please complete this by 18th December 2020.  The survey can be accessed here.
  2. Community Pharmacy Home Delivery  HSCB are seeking a monthly return detailing the number of deliveries made from commencement of the HSCB commissioned delivery service in September 2020.  As per previous correspondence, please submit a return at the end of November detailing the number of deliveries for September, October and November separately.  The return should be made, preferably by secure e-mail, to the local office email address as detailed below.   
  3. Pharmacy First Monthly Record Form  Pharmacy contractor should submit the Pharmacy First monthly record form detailing the pharmacy first consultations made via the service. These forms can then be scanned using the pharmacy’s scanner or using the free Adobe scan app on a mobile device and returned by secure email to the local HSCB office on a monthly basis on the date of second prescription submission (3rd December 2020). See here for more Pharmacy First service information and guidance. Also, should you wish to provide the service, you must complete and return the contract to your local office before commencement of the service, if you haven’t already done so.

Due to the increasing level of service-related information and deadline dates for community pharmacies to keep abreast of, CPNI have developed the contractor calendar available here. We hope you find this resource useful, please share with all members of your pharmacy team(s).

In order that HSCB, CPNI and DoH can continue to work collaboratively, to secure funding in the future for all pharmacy services, it is essential that all activity associated with the each service is recorded and submitted in a timely manner.

Please do not hesitate to contact your local HSCB office, or the CPNI office, should you require any further information or clarification.  

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

Dear Colleague
 
Please see here the December 2020 edition of “Supply Issues Update for Primary and Secondary Care”, produced by DHSC.
 
This document, and previous monthly editions, are available on the Primary Care Intranet at the link http://primarycare.hscni.net/pharmacy-and-medicines-management/dhsc-monthly-bulletin/
 
Shortage information (Medicines Supply Notifications: MSNs) in relation to specific drugs will be emailed to all community pharmacies via secure HSC email.
 
All legacy shortages information are available on the BSO website: http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/3065.htm 

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

Please seeherefor your attention, letter from Dr McBride, Chief Medical Officer and letter from the four UK Chief Medical Officers here.

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

Please see here for your attention, correspondence from Joe Brogan, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management and Dr Stephen Bergin, Director of Public Health and Medical Director (Interim), PHA.
 
Summary

  • A National Patient Safety Alert (August 2020) asked healthcare providers to ensure that:
    • All eligible patients are issued with a Steroid Emergency Card
    • Processes are in place to check if a patient has a Steroid Emergency Card ahead of any emergency treatment, elective surgery, or other invasive procedures
  • Work is underway (by HSCB/PHA/HSC trusts) to develop a Steroid Emergency Card specifically for patients on Northern Ireland

Action

  • Be aware of the issues highlighted in letter and bring these to the attention of the dispensary team.

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

Please see here for your attention, correspondence from Dr Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer and Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer.
 
Summary

  • While the level of influenza remains low at present, an increasing number of Influenza virus isolates are now being confirmed by the Regional Virus Laboratory in respiratory samples taken from patients in Northern Ireland in recent weeks.
  • NICE guidance on the use of antivirals (oseltamivir and zanamivir) in influenza now applies.

Action

  • Community pharmacies should order antiviral medicines through their usual pharmaceutical wholesalers.
  • Every effort should continue to be made to ensure a high uptake rate of influenza vaccine in all eligible groups, including healthcare staff.
  • During the 2020/21 flu season, front line health and social care staff can now obtain the influenza vaccine free of charge from many community pharmacies.

Yours sincerely

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive

Dear Colleague

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated with drug information, alerts and shortages information via CPNI’s contractor calendar here or via the BSO website as per the links below.

Weekly Summary 04.12.20
 
Drug alerts available here: BSO Communications (Drug Alerts)
MPS 2738 – Medicines Recall – Simvador 10mg, 20mg and 40mg tabs 3rd December 2020
 
Shortages Information available here: BSO Shortages Information
MPS 2739 – Rifadin (Rifampicin) 100mg/5ml Oral Susp – Supply Alert  3rd December 2020

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

Yours sincerely

Kerry

SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF KERRY GRIMES |Governance & Support Pharmacist