Thank you to those of you have been reporting in the number of
staff who are self-isolating. As the HSCB Situation Reports (SitReps) are now
live, this is the preferred method for reporting and you no longer need to
provide these figures to CPNI.
Can I also remind all pharmacies that secure email is now
operational and we are encouraging all pharmacies to use this method of
communication, which is particularly crucial at this time. If you are
experiencing any difficulties with this please contact Sean Woods Sean.Woods@hscni.net
or
Tom Coyle Tom.Coyle@hscni.net
Yours sincerely
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Dear Colleague,
Easter Rota Arrangements
Following on from the CPNI Contractor Update on Friday evening I
can now provide further information to you of the Community Pharmacy Service
requirements and arrangements for the Easter Holiday period.
In summary
Easter Sunday
The bank holiday rota for Easter Sunday will be in place as per
the usual arrangements.
Payment for this rota will be increased from the
standard “Special day” payment of £250 per hour to £500 per hour. The
HSCB recognises that in these exceptional times pharmacies will require an
additional hour for stock and staff management and therefore pharmacies may
claim for an additional hour.
Easter Monday and Tuesday
The table below summarises the requirements and remuneration for
the Easter Monday and Tuesday
Day
Number of Pharmacies required to be open
Opening Required
Payment
(£500@hour x 4hrs)
Easter Monday
110
10am – 1pm
£2,000
110
2pm – 5pm
£2,000
Easter Tuesday
113
10am – 1pm
£2,000
101
2pm – 5pm
£2,000
Pharmacy opening arrangements will be decided on a cluster
basis. Each pharmacy will be required to open for a 3 hour session, however,
the HSCB recognises that in these exceptional times pharmacies will require an
additional hour for stock and staff management.
It is expected that HSCB offices will be in contact with
pharmacy branches, and where possible Head Offices, to finalise which
pharmacies will be open on Easter Monday and Tuesday. If you, in conjunction
with HSCB, wish to organise this on behalf of your pharmacy (group) please
ensure that branch staff are advised to direct any initial telephone calls from
HSCB to you, or the relevant person in your organisation.
CPNI and HSCB understands the on-going commitment by you and
your pharmacy teams at this time, and in particular over the upcoming Easter
period. We hope that the required level of community pharmacy service provision
to the public over the Easter period can continue to be maintained with these
arrangements.
Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices should you
require any additional information.
Yours sincerely
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
COVID-19 Update #41 – HSCB COVID19 Funding Payments and
Community Pharmacy Service Provision at Easter
I wish to provide a brief end of week summary update on 5
COVID19 issues
COVID related Payments processed by BSO to Contractors
on 3rd April 2020
Easter period Community Pharmacy service provision
PPE and the provision of FaceShields by CPNI to
Contractors for use by pharmacy staff during COVID19
Emergency Supply Service
Delivery of Medicines
COVID related Payments processed by BSO to Contractors on 3rd
April 2020
Today BSO processed 4 payments to Contractors (as advised in the
HSCB letter to Contractors on 20th Mar’20 and referenced in the
CPNI COVID ContractorUpdate #26 email) as follows:
COVID-19 Special Advance
Payment Temporary Adjustment – a total of £25m was paid to Contractors
today
COVID-19 Staffing Pressures – a
total of £1m was paid to Contractors today
COVID-19 Security – a total
of £2.5m was paid to Contractors today
COVID-19 Business Continuity – a
total of £0.5m was paid to Contractors today
It should be noted that HSCB will seek to reclaim or manage this £25m COVID-19 Special Advance payment (as well as the £10m advance paid on 31st Mar’20) out of the system after the COVID19 response.
The £4m paid today in relation to COVID19 staffing, security and
business continuity costs will not be re-claimed by HSCB.
A further £6.5m funding, as part of the £10.5m funding
allocation announced by Robin Swann, Minister of Health last week, will be
processed to, and retained by, Contractors at the end of April following
further discussion with HSCB and DoH(NI) colleagues.
Easter Community Pharmacy Service Provision
As many of you know GP’s have been asked to provide GP services
on Easter Monday and Tuesday. HSCB has raised the need for Community
Pharmacy services to be provided on Easter Monday and Easter Tuesday and CPNI
is in the process of determining with HSCB the level of Community Pharmacy
coverage required across NI and the associated levels of payments for those
pharmacies that will be open. It is expected that the final position for
the Easter Sunday Rota and the arrangements for Easter Monday and Tuesday will
be arrived at on Monday and I will of course advise you accordingly then.
PPE and Provision of FaceShields by CPNI to Contractors for use
by Pharmacy Staff
Further to todays CPNI COVID19 ContractorUpdate #39, CPNI has
secured a supply of 24 Bloc FaceShields for each pharmacy in Northern Ireland
and will arrange for these to be delivered to all pharmacies via Sangers/AAH
from the middle of next week onwards. These FaceShields will provide
added reassurance to both employees and employers that further reasonable steps
are being deployed in pharmacies across Northern Ireland to minimise the risk
of COVID19 related transmission amongst staff and members of the public.
The cost associated with the provision of these FaceShields is
being borne entirely by CPNI for the health and well-being of you and your
staff while working in your pharmacies during COVID19.
Emergency Supply Service
To assist you and your staff to provide the Emergency Supply
Service that commences on Monday 6th Apr’20, Kerry Grimes, CPNI Contractor
Support Pharmacist, has produced an excellent video that will provide you and
your pharmacists with all the key service information relevant to the Emergency
Supply service. The video can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eLe_HjRW0c.
Delivery of Medicines
You will be aware of the HSCB–CDHN initiative to connect and
support the Community/Voluntary sector groups to assist Community Pharmacy in
relation to i) Volunteer drivers to deliver medicines on behalf of Community
Pharmacy and ii) Volunteer support to limit and control access to Community
Pharmacy. You will be aware that we have raised a number of concerns in
relation to this initiative and we have engaged extensively with HSCB &
DoH(NI) officials this week on this matter. Further information and
advice will be provided to you by CPNI at the start of the week.
It has been another incredibly busy week for all pharmacy teams
across Northern Ireland and there is growing external recognition for the work,
effort and sheer professionalism of pharmacy teams as they respond to patient
need during COVID19.
CPNI continues to work hard on your behalf so that you and your
teams are as fully resourced as possible to respond to the challenges presented
by COVID19.
CPNI has lobbied hard for the financial support that was
provided to you last week and today, the Board of CPNI continues to oversee a
multitude of aspects that need to be dealt with on your behalf during COVID19
and the office team continues to provide the support required to deliver as
much help and practical information to you and your teams throughout COVID19.
Should you require any additional information please do not
hesitate to contact CPNI Offices or your local CPNI Board Director.
I hope that you and your staff stay safe during this COVID19
period.
Yours sincerely
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
+++ Also see Contractor Updates +++
#26 RE: HSCB Correspondence and Funding Information 27 Mar’20
#20 RE: CPNI Meeting with Health Minister
Dear Colleague
Information from DoH(NI) 3rd April’20 RE: PPE
Further to today’s CPNI COVID19 Update #39, below,
we have been asked this evening to provide Contractors with the following
information by Pharmacy officials at DoH(NI)…..
The updated guidance aims to provide clearer guidance for
particular healthcare settings, and it is very welcome that the guidance now
contains specific recommendations for pharmacy settings.
Community pharmacy teams should refer in particular to Table 3.
The key points are:
There is no need for pharmacy staff to
wear PPE if social distancing of 2m can be maintained – this remains the
ideal scenario, if possible.
If social distancing of 2m cannot be maintained, though
direct patient care is not provided, ‘sessional’ use of fluid-resistant
surgical masks by pharmacy staff is recommended.
A single
session refers to a period of time where a health and social care worker
is undertaking duties in a specific clinical care setting or exposure
environment. A session ends when the health and social care worker
leaves the clinical care setting or exposure environment. Once the PPE
has been removed it should be disposed of safely. The duration of a
single session will vary depending on the clinical activity being
undertaken.
Pharmacy staff are advised to avoid direct patient care
(within 2 metres) at this time, if at all possible, and patients have been
advised not to attend the pharmacy at all if they have symptoms suggestive
of COVID-19. If direct contact (within 2 metres) with a patient with
possible or confirmed COVID-19 is essential, such as supporting
symptomatic patients in an emergency, staff should wear aprons, gloves and
fluid-resistant surgical masks.
Many thanks for your assistance in communicating these updated
messages to contractors.
… ends.
Yours sincerely
SENT FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
+++ Also see ContractorUpdate #39 RE: Update on PPE +++
Dear Colleague,
PHE guidance on PPE has been updated which now includes specific
advice for pharmacies (see attached). The guidance now advises that community
pharmacy staff who are working in an area with possible or confirmed cases and
unable to maintain 2 metres social distance should wear a fluid-resistant
surgical mask.
CPNI has been advised that the Department are working to secure
additional masks, however in the meantime community pharmacy teams working in
pharmacies where a 2 metre social distance cannot be implemented are advised to
use masks already supplied in PPE stocks already provided by the Department.
Yours sincerely
SENT
FOR AND BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Download
Dear
Colleague,
Please find attached a letter being
issued by HSCB regarding new arrangements for Out of Hours Dental Services.
Yours sincerely
SENT FOR AND BEHALF
OF GERARD GREENE | Chief Executive
Download
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