The Department of Health and HSCB
have issued guidance to pharmacists who may be considering offering testing for
COVID-19 (attached).
Summary
The letter addresses rapid point of
care tests, laboratory-based tests and tests for home use.
The letter indicates that:
At present, Public Health advice is that use of products that give a rapid result is not advised. There is little evidence on the accuracy of rapid point of care tests, or on how a patient’s antibody response develops or changes during COVID-19 infection, and it is not known whether either a positive or negative result is reliable;
MHRA has asked providers of laboratory-based COVID-19 antibody testing services using capillary blood collected by a fingerprick to temporarily stop providing such services until home collection of this sample type has been properly assessed and validated for use with these laboratory tests;
No home testing kits have received a CE mark and there are no testing kits available in the UK for home use. This means it is currently unlawful to supply such tests for use by members of the public.
Contractors
are reminded that using the wrong type of testing kit in the wrong setting can
lead to inaccurate results, a false sense of protection or recovery, and
increased pressure on our HSC services. Pharmacists are advised to act in
accordance with recommendations from Public Health and MHRA, within the law and
within their own professional competencies.
Action
Contractors should:
Familiarise their dispensing teams with this advice.
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
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Dear Colleague,
During the lockdown period it has
been noted that there has been a higher number of scams taking place that are
targeting members of the general public. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has asked if
community pharmacies could be provided with Scamwise leaflets (see attached)
that can be handed out for older and vulnerable persons.
Alliance Healthcare will be
distributing these leaflets to all pharmacies in the coming days. We would appreciate if you
could look out for these and make them available as appropriate in your
pharmacy when they arrive.
Many thanks for any support you can provide with this matter.
Yours sincerely
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief
Executive
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Dear Colleague,
We are conscious that CPNI have
issued a large number of emails during the COVID-19 period. In order to
help contractors navigate these emails and for ease of reference we have
attached a spreadsheet detailing all email communication until close of play
Friday 5th June 2020. We will continue to update this and
share with you on a regular basis.
I trust you will find this helpful.
Yours sincerely
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
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Dear colleague,
CPNI COVID19 ContractorUpdate #101 ****** REMINDER ****** RE: Still Time to get Involved in our #pharmacyheroes Campaign
This is just a reminder for those contractors and their teams
who would like to get involved in the #pharmacyheroes campaign to get in touch
with Jude Austin, CPNI
Communications Manager at judea@communitypharmacyni.co.uk
or call 028 9069
0444.
Kind regards,
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Also See Contractor Update #101 RE: Join our #pharmacyheroes Campaign Sent 29 May 2020
Dear
Colleague
Please see undernoted email that HSCB Pharmacy and Medicines Management Team have asked to be shared with your pharmacy teams.
Kind Regards,
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF CPNI OFFICE
FAO Community Pharmacists
Dear Colleagues
Re: Videos circulating about Clearblue pregnancy tests
containing the ‘morning-after pill’
We have been asked to bring this incident to your attention,
in case of similar requests.
Last week, a pharmacy in Northern Ireland contacted the HSCB
advising of a request to purchase the Clearblue pregnancy test that included
the ‘morning-after’ pill. The customer told pharmacy staff that ‘not a lot of
people know this but if you snap the pregnancy test open the pill is inside’.
This request follows incorrect information in videos circulating on the social media site TikTok and the story was highlighted in the tabloid press earlier this year e.g. in The Sun
The manufacturers have issued the following warning on the Clearblue website:
We are aware of videos circulating about Clearblue pregnancy tests and the tablet found inside. Clearblue pregnancy tests do NOT contain the morning after pill. All our tests contain a small desiccant tablet which is included to absorb moisture and should not be eaten. If accidentally swallowed please seek medical advice for any further questions contact our careline at 0800-917-2710
Kind regards
Emma Quinn, Pharmacy Information Co-ordinator, HSCB Pharmacy and Medicines Management Team
2 Franklin Street, Belfast BT2 8DQ (Office number: 028 95363801)
Dear
Colleague,
The
final update of concessionary prices for May 2020 have been released and are as
follows:
Drug
Pack Size
Concessionary Price
Carbocisteine 375mg capsules
120
£6.87
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral
suspension
100ml
£8.60
Clonidine 25microgram tablets
112
£13.62
Duloxetine 20mg
gastro-resistant capsules
28
£5.17
Duloxetine 40mg
gastro-resistant capsules
56
£12.09
Erythromycin 250mg
gastro-resistant tablets
27
£7.37
Exemestane 25mg tablets
30
£61.57
Fenofibrate micronised 267mg
capsules
28
£4.51
Glycopyrronium bromide
200micrograms/1ml solution for injection ampoules
10
£14.00
Mirtazapine 15mg
orodispersible tablets
28
£1.97
Mirtazapine 45mg tablets
28
£3.10
Mometasone 50micrograms/dose
nasal spray
140 dose
£4.99
Nitrofurantoin 50mg tablets
28
£14.04
Ranitidine 300mg tablets
30
£5.99
Ranitidine 50mg/2ml solution
for injection ampoules
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF KATHERINE KIDD | Head of Pharmacy
Development
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