Archives: Contractor Email

Reminder – EOI for FTY 2027/2028 closes today

Dear Contractor

NICPLD issued correspondence regarding the FTY 2027/2028 expression of interest opt-in process which opened on 9 March 2026 and will close on 30 March 2026.

SUMMARY

• The FTY 2026/2027 expression of interest opt-in information is available here.
• If a pharmacy opts-in they will be invited, via an email to their nominated Responsible Individual (RI), to advertise their training placement(s) on the NICPLD Training Provider Information Portal (TPIP).
• When a pharmacy “opts-in”, their status is visible to others who access the list as the pharmacy name remains on the list but becomes locked.

IMPORTANT CONTRACTOR CONSIDERATIONS

• Contractors should be aware that a number of important aspects of the FTY 2027/2028 programme have not been finalised by NICPLD and/or have not been made available to contractors at this point.  These include:
  • The 2027/2028 FTY Framework (an interim framework is available but subject to change)
  • The 2027/2028 Curriculum (the current curriculum is under review)
  • The FTY salary in the hospital and community pharmacy placements
  • The FTY training grant
  • The FTY programme SOPs
• CPNI and other stakeholders put forward a range of suggestions to the Department in October 2025 regarding the future of the FTY programme.
• CPNI suggestions included remodelling to provide 9 months in community pharmacy and 3 months in hospital, as well as re-introducing 12-month community pharmacy placements where prescribing supervision can be provided by an IP community pharmacist.
• During a meeting of the Department’s Initial Education and Training Reform Short Life Working Group on 19 March 2026, the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer confirmed that the current 6-month split sector FTY training model will remain in place for 2027/2028.

ACTION

• Contractors considering participation in FTY 2027/2028 should review the information provided to date, and note the significant aspects which are yet to be confirmed and therefore subject to change.
• Contractors who decide to opt-in should do so prior to Monday 30 March 2026.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI team or email Ennis.

Kind regards

REMINDER: Contractors are reminded that FreeStyle Libre® 3 sensors and Dexcom One® sensors and transmitters have been discontinued, and will be removed from the NI Drug Tariff from 1 April 2026. Contractors should ensure all prescriptions for these products are submitted to BSO in the 2nd submission for March 2026.

Dear Contractor

Correspondence regarding the discontinuation of specific glucose sensor monitoring devices has been issued by SPPG date 20 February 2026.

SUMMARY

• FreeStyle Libre® 3 sensors have been discontinued and have been replaced with Freestyle Libre 3 Plus® sensors.
• Dexcom One® sensors and transmitters have been discontinued and have been replaced by Dexcom One®+ sensors.
• From 1 April 2026, FreeStyle® Libre 3 sensors, Dexcom One® sensors, and Dexcom One® transmitters will be removed from the NI Drug Tariff.
• Community Pharmacists will not receive payment for any prescriptions submitted to BSO for these products after this date.
• Community Pharmacists are advised to encourage patients prescribed any of the affected products to urgently speak to their GP practice about switching their glucose sensor monitor appropriately, or may wish to contact the GP practice on behalf of the patient.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

• Read the correspondence issued by SPPG on 20 February 2026 regarding the discontinuation of specific glucose sensor monitoring devices and share will all relevant members of the pharmacy team.
• Note the actions requested in the correspondence for Community Pharmacists.

Kind regards

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

• Third Concessionary Prices – March 2026 27 March 2026
• General Community Pharmacy Vaccine Service (CPVS) Correspondence: SPPG Spring 2026 COVID-19 Planning and Contract Offer Letter 26 March 2026
• PHA Operational Letter: Spring 2026 COVID-19 Vaccination Programme 24 March 2026
• PHARMACY COLLECT NI (LFD DISTRIBUTION) UPDATE 24 March 2026
• LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY: ‘Care in the Sun’ Campaign 24 March 2026
• Second Concessionary Prices – March 2026  24 March 2026
• Discontinuation of Specific Glucose Sensor Monitoring Devices 23 March 2026
• REMINDER CPNI Community Pharmacy Patient Survey 23 March 2026

DOH(NI) ALERTS

• Pharmacy First Pilot Service for the Treatment of Shingles: Extension Until 30 September 2026 27 March 2026
  • Letter: Service Extension Until 30 September 2026
• Community Pharmacy Adverse Incidents Annual Report 27 March 2026
  • Annual Report
• General CPVS Correspondence 26 March 2026
  • Planning and Contract Offer Letter
• Prescribing and Supply Arrangements for Specialist Medicines in NI: Update to the Red Amber List (March 2026) 26 March 2026
• HSS(MD)15/2026 – UPDATE TO ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE COMPLETION AND ISSUING OF MEDICAL CERTIFICATES OF CAUSE OF DEATH AND STILL BIRTH CERTIFICATES 25 March 2026
• FAO Community Pharmacies in Newtownabbey, Greenisland, Carrickfergus, Whitehead and Larne – Letter to Community Pharmacy Re: Community Pharmacy Over-The-Counter Codeine Brief Intervention & Referral Pilot Service – Link to Recording of The Mandatory Training Webinar & Update on Data Sharing Processes 25 March 2026
  • Correspondence Issued 27 February 2026
• Important Information for Potential Training Providers relating to Selection and Admission to the Foundation Training Year (FTY) 2027/28 24 March 2026
• Spring 2026 COVID-19 Vaccination Programme 24 March 2026
• Emergency Supplies of Medication at the Request of a Prescriber 24 March 2026
  • Document *SPPG Reissued Version due to Hyperlink Issues*
    • Email Communications All User Standard Document
• Pharmacy Collect: New LFD Stock 23 March 2026
• Living Well ‘Care in the Sun’ Start Letter 23 March 2026

BSO ALERTS

• Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
  • MPS 3491 MMS 2238 – Medicines Defect – Apixaban 2.5mg and 5mg Tablets 26 March 2026
  • MPS 3490 MMS 2237 – Medicines Defect – Vesomni 6 mg/0.4 mg Modified Release Tablets 26 March 2026
  • MPS 3489 MMS 2236 – Medicines Recall – Hibiwash 500ml 24 March 2026
• Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
• Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.

CPNI Community Pharmacy Patient Survey

The CPNI Community Pharmacy Patient Survey is ongoing, we would encourage all contractors to continue actively promoting the survey within their pharmacy, including engaging counter staff to invite patients to participate, in order to maximise response rates and strengthen the evidence gathered.

PHISHING CYBER PROTECT UPDATE

Contractors & Pharmacy teams are asked to take note of the latest Police Service of Northern Ireland Cyber ALERT (here).

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails.

Or report medicine shortages, pricing and staffing issues via CPNI’s Medicine Pricing/Supply Reporter and Situation Reporter.

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

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

The third update of concessionary prices were granted today for March 2026:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Alfentanil 1mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules	10	£7.58
Amiodarone 100mg tablets	28	£4.17
Amiodarone 200mg tablets	28	£7.23
Aqueous cream	100	£0.85
Aqueous cream	500	£4.27
Aspirin 75mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£2.15
Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.4ml unit dose preservative free	30	£9.45
Candesartan 8mg tablets	28	£0.86
Captopril 12.5mg tablets	56	£45.31
Captopril 25mg tablets	56	£49.25
Captopril 50mg tablets	56	£38.01
Carvedilol 12.5mg tablets	28	£1.31
Carvedilol 25mg tablets	28	£1.90
Carvedilol 3.125mg tablets	28	£1.00
Chloramphenicol 1% eye ointment	4	£2.95
Cimetidine 400mg tablets	60	£5.53
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension	70	£10.55
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension	70	£23.35
Clomipramine 50mg capsules	28	£7.00
Clotrimazole 1% cream	50	£3.20
Co-amilofruse 5mg/40mg tablets	28	£3.72
Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets	90	£5.71
Co-careldopa 25mg/100mg tablets	100	£5.90
Codeine 15mg tablets	28	£0.76
Codeine 15mg tablets	100	£2.71
Desmopressin 10micrograms/dose nasal spray	60	£34.95
Diclofenac sodium 50mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£3.68
Dipyridamole 200mg modified-release capsules	60	£39.78
Enalapril 10mg tablets	28	£1.49
Enalapril 2.5mg tablets	28	£4.22
Enalapril 20mg tablets	28	£1.80
Enalapril 5mg tablets	28	£1.05
Erythromycin 250mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£4.68
Esomeprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£2.04
Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£2.83
Estriol 0.01% vaginal cream with applicator	1	£32.50
Famotidine 20mg tablets	28	£2.75
Fesoterodine 4mg modified-release tablets	28	£4.01
Fesoterodine 8mg modified-release tablets	28	£2.83
Flecainide 100mg tablets	60	£3.60
Flecainide 50mg tablets	60	£2.25
Fluoxetine 20mg capsules	30	£2.05
Folic acid 400microgram tablets	90	£8.90
Glycerol 4g suppositories	12	£1.89
Haloperidol 5mg tablets	28	£4.28
Hydrocortisone 5mg tablets	30	£18.19
Ibandronic acid 150mg tablets	1	£16.83
Ibandronic acid 50mg tablets	28	£39.73
Indometacin 25mg capsules	28	£5.70
Indometacin 50mg capsules	28	£8.45
Irbesartan 150mg tablets	28	£3.09
Irbesartan 75mg tablets	28	£2.12
Itraconazole 100mg capsules	15	£4.65
Ivabradine 2.5mg tablets	56	£48.45
Ivabradine 7.5mg tablets	56	£2.92
Labetalol 100mg tablets	56	£6.03
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution	500	£6.00
Lamotrigine 100mg tablets	56	£2.70
Lamotrigine 200mg tablets	56	£2.90
Lamotrigine 50mg tablets	56	£2.63
Leflunomide 10mg tablets	30	£9.34
Leflunomide 20mg tablets	30	£7.00
Lercanidipine 10mg tablets	28	£1.96
Lercanidipine 20mg tablets	28	£2.43
Levetiracetam 100mg/ml oral solution sugar free	300	£3.46
Levothyroxine sodium 12.5microgram tablets	28	£9.46
Lofepramine 70mg tablets	56	£23.89
Mebeverine 135mg tablets	100	£2.43
Mefenamic acid 500mg tablets	28	£20.50
Mirtazapine 30mg tablets	28	£1.00
Mirtazapine 45mg tablets	28	£1.21
Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules	10	£6.66
Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules	84	£10.50
Nefopam 30mg tablets	90	£3.71
Nicotine 4mg medicated chewing gum sugar free	96	£12.21
Oxazepam 10mg tablets	28	£7.15
Oxazepam 15mg tablets	28	£7.20
Oxybutynin 5mg tablets	56	£3.94
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	250	£7.22
Oxytetracycline 250mg tablets	28	£35.03
Perindopril erbumine 2mg tablets	30	£1.83
Perindopril erbumine 4mg tablets	30	£2.76
Perindopril erbumine 8mg tablets	30	£4.52
Pizotifen 1.5mg tablets	28	£1.49
Pregabalin 100mg capsules	84	£2.47
Pregabalin 150mg capsules	56	£2.15
Pregabalin 200mg capsules	84	£3.39
Pregabalin 25mg capsules	56	£1.30
Pregabalin 300mg capsules	56	£3.09
Pregabalin 50mg capsules	84	£2.24
Pregabalin 75mg capsules	56	£1.79
Promethazine hydrochloride 25mg tablets	56	£2.16
Propranolol 80mg tablets	56	£3.07
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets	200	£15.20
Ranolazine 750mg modified-release tablets	60	£7.60
Repaglinide 1mg tablets	90	£30.09
Repaglinide 2mg tablets	90	£20.26
Repaglinide 500microgram tablets	90	£24.09
Rosuvastatin 10mg tablets	28	£2.20
Rosuvastatin 20mg tablets	28	£2.69
Rosuvastatin 5mg tablets	28	£1.52
Sitagliptin 100mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£75.00
Sodium bicarbonate 500mg capsules	56	£5.27
Sotalol 80mg tablets	28	£4.95
Spironolactone 25mg tablets	28	£0.92
Sulfasalazine 500mg tablets	112	£6.61
Timolol 0.25% eye drops	5	£2.45
Tramadol 50mg capsules	30	£0.81
Tramadol 50mg capsules	100	£2.71
Trihexyphenidyl 2mg tablets	84	£129.10
Trimethoprim 100mg tablets	28	£3.90
Trimethoprim 50mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	100	£8.79
Valaciclovir 500mg tablets	10	£12.88
Valsartan 80mg capsules	28	£5.70
Venlafaxine 37.5mg tablets	56	£3.35 (previously £2.60)
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg orodispersible tablets sugar free	6	£3.05

Concessionary prices will be paid against the usual code, no additional endorsements are needed.

Please continue to notify CPNI of any pricing issues you are experiencing via our Medicine Pricing/Supply Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

For the attention of Community Pharmacies wishing to provide the Spring 2026 COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccine Service (CPVS)

Dear Contractor,

Following the publication of the CMO letter detailing the COVID-19 vaccination programme for Spring 2026, a CPVS planning and contract offer letter has been issued by SPPG.  This letter includes details of the Spring 2026 programme, links to complete the online care home paring survey and submit an online contract for the service.  The planning and contract offer letter has been uploaded and can be accessed by clicking here.

The service documentation is also now available on the PCI and BSO website.

Contact details for Local Primary Care Offices can be found here.

Kind regards,

FAO Community Pharmacies participating in the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Services

Dear Contractor,

The PHA have issued an operational letter to help with planning for the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

ACTION

Please read this letter and ensure it is shared with relevant members of your pharmacy team.

Kind regards,