Dear Colleague
HSCB/DOH CORRESPONDENCE: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – Update and Reordering Process
Please see attached a letter being issued by Joe Brogan, HSCB and Cathy Harrison, DoH(NI) to all community pharmacies.
The letter provides updated information about PPE arrangements for community pharmacy and the process to be used by community pharmacy teams for the replenishment of PPE from 1st May 2020.
Yours sincerely
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Dear colleague
Amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012
CPNI has been working closely with DH and HSCB in respect of changes to misuse of drugs legislation being brought forward by the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic which can be accessed via this link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/62/regulation/9/made
These amendments were made on 29 April 2020 and further details are available in a letter from Canice Ward, Head of MRG, DH(NI) which can be accessed via this link:
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/mdr-amendments-010520.pdf
It is important to note that these changes do not come in immediately. This will only happen when they are activated by an announcement from the Department. CPNI will also inform contractors of any such activation.
Guidance to the amendments is currently being drafted and will be shared with contractors as soon as it is available. CPNI training slides will also be made available.
Summary
The amendments introduce the following flexibilities:
Emergency Supply (ESS): Pharmacists will be permitted to supply controlled drugs in Schedule 2, 3 and 4 Part 1 provided the supply is in accordance with regulation 226 (emergency sales).
Serious Shortage Protocols (SSP): Pharmacists will be permitted to supply controlled drugs in Schedule 2, 3 and 4 Part 1 provided the supply is in accordance with a serious shortage protocol.
Instalment Prescribing: Pharmacists will be permitted to change the interval to be observed when supplying drugs in Schedules 2 and 3 via instalment prescriptions, provided the pharmacist who changes the interval is the pharmacist who makes the supply and changes the interval with the agreement of the initial prescriber or a member of the prescribing team who is authorised to agree to such changes.
Action
Contractors should:
CPNI colleagues will continue to support contractors and their staff throughout the coming weeks.
Kind regards
Mike
Sent on behalf of Prof Mike Mawhinney | Head of Regulatory Affairs
Dear Colleague,
Furlough Guidance
In response to queries from Contractors around the Furlough Scheme introduced by the UK Government, as a mechanism to assist businesses claim for wages costs through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, CPNI sought additional guidance from our legal advisors to help Community Pharmacy owners to navigate eligibility or otherwise.
The guidance received from our legal advisors is contained in the attached document.
Further UK Government information on this particular scheme can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
Should you require any additional information about the scheme in relation to your community pharmacy business(es) your professional advisors, who will be familiar with the specifics circumstances that apply to your business(es), will be able to advise you further.
I trust this is helpful.
Yours sincerely
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
Updates from the Pharmaceutical Society NI
The Pharmaceutical Society NI (PSNI) has issued the following updates:
(a) Pre-registration training 2020-21
PSNI has confirmed that:
Full details can be accessed via the following link:
(b) Temporary Registration
This can be accessed via the following link:
(c) Collection and Delivery Services
CPNI recently issued a letter in respect of the volunteer delivery service (attached).
PSNI has also issued a letter in respect of collection and delivery and this can be accessed via the following link:
Contractors are advised to contact their insurers in respect of any use of volunteers within the pharmacy.
Action
Contractors should:
CPNI colleagues will continue to support contractors and their staff throughout the coming weeks.
Yours sincerely
Mike
Sent on behalf of Prof Mike Mawhinney | Head of Regulatory Affairs
Dear Colleague,
We have been contacted by the Police Service to remind pharmacy staff and delivery drivers of some important points, particularly at this time of unprecedented pressure:
The Police Service have recently observed lapses in this behaviour and are keen to get this messaging out before any issue occurs.
Yours sincerely
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Dear Colleague,
The final update of concessionary prices for April 2020 have been released and are as follows:
| Drug | Pack Size | Concessionary Price |
| Aciclovir 800mg tablets | 35 | £4.70 |
| Amiloride 5mg tablets | 28 | £23.90 |
| Betahistine 16mg tablets | 84 | £5.95 |
| Erythromycin 250mg gastro-resistant tablets | 28 | £7.17 |
| Hydroxychloroquine 200mg tablets | 60 | £9.63 |
| Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml eye drops | 2.5ml | £4.13 |
| Metoclopramide 10mg tablets | 28 | £1.15 |
| Mometasone 0.1% cream | 30g | £3.02 |
| Naproxen 250mg tablets | 28 | £2.95 |
| Naproxen 500mg tablets | 28 | £2.85 |
| Ranitidine 150mg tablets | 60 | £7.32 |
| Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets | 56 | £5.89 |
The full list of concessionary prices can be found on our website www.communitypharmacyni.co.uk
Kind regards,
Katherine
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF KATHERINE KIDD | Head of Pharmacy Development
