Dear Colleague,
My email on 1st July 2020 confirmed thata landmark £13.25m funding and commissioning agreement had been announced by the Minister for Health, Mr Robin Swann. This funding will allow the community pharmacy network to develop and sustain services, building upon its vital frontline role. It signals a move forward for community pharmacy as a key service in the new post-COVID health and social care system supporting service provision to patients. There is a clear recognition of the critical role of the sector, not only in the safe supply of medicines, but as the fabric which holds local communities together in times of crisis.
You will find attached, a letter from Mr Joe Brogan HSCB, which outlines the collaborative work that has been taking place on the commissioning plan for community pharmacy in 2020/21 between the Department of Health, the Health and Social Care Board and CPNI. This letter provides further information on the commissioning plan and funding arrangements.
The letter also invites you to undertake a HSCB contractor survey to understand the current capacity of the community pharmacy network.
There are two aspects to the survey:
- A telephone conversation between a pharmacy contractor (or a nominated pharmacist) and their HSCB local office advisor to establish details such as access to premises, current/future opening hours and use of secure email
- Completion of a more detailed online Survey Monkey questionnaire addressing service capacity
The information provided will help to inform service development for the remainder of the 2020/21 year. Service development work will be taken forward within the context of the service development framework previously outlined i.e. Core Services which are expected to be provided by all pharmacies; Additional Services which all contractors will have the opportunity to provide, irrespective of size and location, and Locally Required Services which will be commissioned according to local population need.
A service development programme for 2020/21 has been agreed by DH/HSCB/CPNI, as detailed within the HSCB Commissioning Plan. Within this it is recognised a number of services will need to be reconfigured to support remote consultations during the ongoing pandemic period, particularly in preparation for a potential second wave in the autumn.
Services which are likely to be developed/reconfigured for commissioned roll-out this year in pharmacies, where possible include:
- Emergency Supply Service
- Minor Ailments / Pharmacy First
- Prescription Delivery service
- Smoking Cessation
- Oral Substitution Therapy
- Flu Vaccination
- Living Well
This survey will be important to inform any additional community pharmacy infrastructure needs required to deliver new service models. CPNI asks contractors to give their survey response careful consideration and ensure it is completed by either the contractor or a pharmacist nominated by the contractor.
When completing the survey, we would advise you to consider the following:
- Current capacity with potential physical adaptations/barriers remaining in place which may limit service provision, compared to the service delivery potential, if these barriers were removed or modified in line with reduced COVID-related risk
- Potential infrastructural support needed to enable remote consultations e.g. tablet device, additional PC with access to PMR
- Ability to manage prescription delivery demand, need for digital support technologies
- Ability to access training from current providers to support a flu vaccination programme
- PPE constraints are likely to continue for some time, available supply is likely to require sessional rather than opportunistic flu vaccination service delivery models, consider how this might be delivered either within your pharmacy or in an alternative community venue
- It has been widely recognised that the one-hour break at lunchtime has been a positive development during the COVID period and all stakeholders would support the continuation of the one hour lunchtime closure
The closing date for completion of the survey is Friday 24th July 2020 and we would encourage all contractors to complete it. While recognising the recent and ongoing challenges that face community pharmacy we would ask that contractors complete the survey with the same positive, resilient and responsive attitude that has been shown throughout the COVID pandemic, particularly in light of the recent funding announcement. This is our opportunity to deliver sustained and expanded transformative services through community pharmacy that will shape the future of the network for years to come and firmly establish community pharmacy as a key provider within the health and social care system.
Once again I would like to offer my sincere thanks to you and your pharmacy teams for your dedication, commitment and exemplary efforts to support your local communities, not only in recent times, but for many years.
Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.
Yours sincerely
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
