Archives: Contractor Email

**FOR THE ATTENTION OF PHARMACY COLLECT NI (LFD DISTRIBUTION) PHARMACIES ONLY**

Dear Contractor

SPPG have issued an update regarding the Pharmacy Collect NI LFD service.

SUMMARY

• New LFD stock has been ordered and is now available in NI.
• Please note: Previous Hotgen stock expires by 1 April 2026.
• The new LFD stock is Flowflex and there are some differences to be aware of when ordering through Pharmacy Collect:
  • How tests are packed and the number of tests per transaction
    • Flowflex will be in a carton of 50 tests whereas the previous stock (Hotgen) cames as 400 tests in one pack.
    • Three Flowflex tests can be supplied per transaction for non-care home residents.
    • Twenty Flowflex tests can be supplied per transaction for care home requests.
  • Ordering stock
    • When a pharmacy orders stock, they will receive one carton of 50 tests initially. This may change.
    • The order form on the BSO website has been updated and must be used for orders from this week onwards.
    • The next order point closes at 10am Wednesday 25 March 2026.
  • Service Specification
    • The service specification remains unchanged.
• Pharmacies are reminded to check stock before ordering to avoid stockpiling.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

• Read the correspondence issued by SPPG regarding the Pharmacy Collect NI LFD service.
• Please share this information with all relevant members of the pharmacy team.

Kind regards

**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**

Dear Contractor

SPPG have issued correspondence dated 23 March 2026 regarding the Living Well Service.

SUMMARY

• The first campaign of 26/27 ‘Care in Sun’ will commence on 1 April 2026 and will run for two months.
• The campaign aims to encourage people to adopt safe sun behaviours and to raise the awareness about exposure to UV radiation.
• The posters, leaflets and campaign briefing for ‘Care in the sun’ will be delivered to community pharmacies by 23 March 2026, unless arranged otherwise.
• Note: The resources will arrive in a box labelled as follows:

• If you have not received your campaign resource pack by 23 March 2026, please email reception.pha@hscni.net by no later than 10 April 2026 – using the subject heading  “LIVING WELL PHARMACY CAMPAIGN”. Note: This is for replacement and not additional supplies as resources for the campaign are limited. 
• Living Well posters should be displayed in at least one window unit of the pharmacy. Rotation of the supplied posters can occur over the campaign period. 
• PHA will release social media posts to support the campaign. Community pharmacies can share these on their social media channels, such as Facebook, X, and Instagram, using the hashtags #LivingWell, #CareInTheSun and #BeUVAware.
  • PHA can be followed at:
    • X: @publichealthni
    • Facebook: @publicheathagency
    • Instagram: @publichealthni
• Downloadable resources are available at https://bso.hscni.net/living-well
• Training resources for this campaign are detailed in the campaign briefing.
• A requirement for the Living Well service is to complete an online survey for each campaign. Further information on this can be found in the letter.
• Living Well survey opening and closing dates have been added to the BSO 2026 calendar provided to all contractors.
• Reminder: The sixth campaign for 25/26 “Immunise, protect, thrive”, will finish on 31 March 2026. The survey will open on 3 April 2026 at 9am and will close 8 May 2026 at 6pm.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG on 23 March 2026 regarding the Living Well Service and share with all relevant members of the team.

Please contact CPNI offices if you have any questions in relation to this correspondence.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

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

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Adapalene 0.1% cream	45	£18.26
Adapalene 0.1% gel	45	£18.26
Alfuzosin 2.5mg tablets	60	£6.67
Amlodipine 2.5mg tablets	28	£3.88
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets	28	£1.02
Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets	28	£2.79
Aspirin 75mg dispersible tablets	100	£9.96
Aspirin 75mg tablets	28	£1.85
Benzydamine 0.15% mouthwash sugar free	300	£3.36
Bisoprolol 1.25mg tablets	28	£1.99
Carvedilol 6.25mg tablets	28	£2.94
Cefalexin 125mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	100	£4.50
Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops	10	£2.62
Ciprofloxacin 500mg tablets	10	£4.02
Clotrimazole 500mg pessaries	1	£5.85
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets	30	£2.01
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets	100	£6.70
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules	100	£26.36
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg capsules	32	£8.44
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets	32	£3.00
Co-codamol 8mg/500mg effervescent tablets	100	£9.37
Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets	28	£1.36
Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules	5	£3.52
Doxazosin 2mg tablets	28	£0.84
Doxazosin 4mg tablets	28	£1.01
Duloxetine 30mg gastro-resistant capsules	28	£1.25
Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules	28	£1.84
Estradiol 10microgram pessaries	24	£11.23
Fenofibrate micronised 267mg capsules	28	£15.90
Fexofenadine 180mg tablets	30	£3.25
Hydroxocobalamin 1mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules	5	£10.06
Hydroxychloroquine 200mg tablets	60	£3.21
Indapamide 1.5mg modified-release tablets	30	£1.50
Irbesartan 300mg tablets	28	£1.81
Lamotrigine 25mg tablets	56	£1.99
Lymecycline 408mg capsules	28	£3.45
Lymecycline 408mg capsules	56	£6.90
Melatonin 2mg modified-release tablets	30	£1.97
Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules	10	£4.70
Nizatidine 150mg capsules	30	£63.35
Pregabalin 225mg capsules	56	£2.12
Propranolol 40mg tablets	28	£0.75
Propranolol 80mg modified-release capsules	28	£13.00
Ramipril 1.25mg capsules	28	£1.35
Ramipril 10mg capsules	28	£0.85
Ramipril 2.5mg capsules	28	£0.73
Ramipril 5mg capsules	28	£0.79
Risperidone 500microgram tablets	20	£2.13
Sulpiride 200mg tablets	30	£5.71
Timolol 0.5% eye drops	5	£2.57
Tolterodine 2mg tablets	56	£11.98
Tolterodine 4mg modified-release capsules	28	£13.53
Topiramate 100mg tablets	60	£1.95
Travoprost 40micrograms/ml eye drops	2.5	£1.83
Venlafaxine 150mg modified-release tablets	30	£6.29
Venlafaxine 75mg tablets	56	£6.69

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

Dear Contractor,

Applications to the Department of Health’s public appointment competition to appoint three Members (Registrant) to the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland must be submitted on, or before the closing date of Thursday 26 March 2026 at 12 noon.

Further information is available here.

Kind regards,

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 prescribed 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

Dear Contractor,

This is a reminder that the CPNI Patient Survey begins TODAY and will run for a period of 4 weeks.

Your support is essential to help us gather meaningful evidence on the role of community pharmacy and patient experience.

What pharmacy contractors need to do

1. Print paper copies of the patient survey or request copies to be posted from the CPNI office.
2. Print the A4 QR code poster and survey summary, or request copies from the CPNI office.
3. Place the survey and QR code poster on the pharmacy counter and ask staff to encourage patients to complete the survey while waiting in the pharmacy.
4. Print the QR code sheet and cut into individual QR codes (if desired) to place in prescription bags.
5. Place QR codes in prescription bags to promote the survey.
6. Share the survey link and QR code via your pharmacy’s social media platforms (suggested social media post linked here).

Completed paper surveys can be posted back to the CPNI office, or pharmacy staff may choose to enter responses directly into the Microsoft Form.

Why this survey is important

This survey will provide CPNI with valuable evidence on patients’ experiences and stories about the role of community pharmacy.  This evidence will support the ongoing work CPNI is undertaking and will help to inform engagement with political representatives, as well as provide opportunities to highlight the value of community pharmacy through media and social media activity.

Key reminder

Pharmacy counter staff play a key role in encouraging patient participation.  Asking patients to complete the survey while they are waiting for prescriptions or to speak with the pharmacist can significantly increase response rates.

If you have any questions or require materials, please contact the CPNI office.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kind regards,