Archives: Contractor Email

For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Autumn 2024 Seasonal Influenza Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (CPVS)
Dear Contractor
The PHA have issued correspondence on 14 January 2025 regarding an update on the operational detail of the Autumn Influenza Vaccination Programme 2024/25.

SUMMARY

  • The Health Minister has approved a policy change to the influenza vaccination cohorts 2024/25, to include those aged 50-64 years for the remainder of the vaccination programme.
  • The eligible cohorts for the influenza vaccination programme are now confirmed as follows:
    • All those aged 50 – 64 yrs. **new addition**
    • All those aged 65 yrs. and over
    • Care home residents (long stay residential)
    • Those in clinical risk groups aged 6 months – 64 yrs.
    • Pregnant women
    • HSC workers
    • All pre-school children 2 – 4 yrs
    • All primary school children
    • Secondary school children in yrs. 8 – 12  
    • Carers
    • Close contacts of those immunosuppressed
    • High-risk poultry and avian animal health workers
  • The original eligible cohorts should remain a priority over the newly added 50-64 years cohort.
  • The extension of the influenza vaccination cohorts will commence on 15 January 2025 for the remainder of the programme.
  • PHA sessional vaccinators remain available to support the administration of the flu vaccine and can be requested by completing the form here.
  • Those who are healthy and aged 50-64 years should only be vaccinated with QIVc: Flucelvax® Tetra which is in accordance with the PGD.
  • Those aged 65 years and over are to be vaccinated with aQIV: Fluad Tetra®.  Please note: the packaging of aQIV: Fluad Tetra vaccine refers to use in those aged “50 years and older”, however, this vaccine has been procured for the explicit use in those aged 65 years and older as per JCVI advice and in accordance with the PGD.
  • To manage stock it is important that service providers adhere to ordering advice to make best use of remaining stock and ensure the most vulnerable continue to be able to avail of a vaccine.
  • VMS has been updated to facilitate the recording of vaccinations for healthy 50 – 64yr olds who do not fall into any other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you record the correct eligibility cohort and vaccine for each patient.
  • Training materials and the patient information leaflet will be updated to reflect the new cohorts and will be available on the PHA website:

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Read the PHA correspondence issued on 14 January 2025 regarding an update to the Autumn Influenza Vaccination Programme 2024/25.
  • Share with all relevant members of the team.

If you have any further queries regarding this letter please contact pha.immunisation@hscni.net.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Autumn 2024 Seasonal Influenza Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (CPVS)
Dear Contractor
SPPG have issued an update on 13 January 2025 regarding the extension of the seasonal influenza vaccination cohorts 2024/2025.

SUMMARY

  • From 15 January 2025 and for the remainder of the 2024/25 seasonal influenza vaccination programme, those aged 50-64 years (including those aged 50 by 31 March 2025) have been added to the list of eligible cohorts.
  • The CMO letter issued 10 January 2025 contains further information and can be accessed here.
  • The existing PGD is valid for the additional cohort, please note: QIVc is the recommended vaccine to be used for those aged 50-64 years.
  • Private vaccination details should NOT be added to VMS.
  • There has been a renewed call to promote the flu vaccination to all those who are eligible, and the CPVS  is being promoted through a press release and HSCNI social media. This includes information on how to locate a participating pharmacy.
  • Pharmacy teams are encouraged to promote these messages via their own social media channels, and can follow HSCNI at:

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Read the most recent SPPG Update Five regarding the influenza vaccination programme 24/25.
  • Share with all relevant members of the team

CPNI have developed a social media card that pharmacy teams can use to promote the extension to the eligible cohorts.

If you have any queries about the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (CPVS) please contact Greg Miller (greg.miller@hscni.net) or Grainne McMahon (Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

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 Shortage Reporter and Situation Reporter.

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

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
Gerard Greene
Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Autumn 2024 Seasonal Influenza Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (CPVS)
Dear Contractor
SPPG have issued correspondence 10 January 2025 regarding confirmation of an extension to the seasonal influenza vaccination programme 2024/2025.

SUMMARY

  • The Chief Medical Officer has issued correspondence to advise that there is sufficient stock of the influenza vaccine to extend the offer of vaccination to all those who are 50-64 years.
  • Therefore, from 15 January 2025, the flu vaccination programme will be extended to include any patients aged 50-64 years old by 31 March 2025. 
  • The 24/25 flu vaccination programme continues to provide protection to those who are at higher risk of influenza morbidity and mortality i.e. those aged 65 years and over and those in clinical risk groups, and protection of these groups remains the priority and uptake in these groups should be encouraged.
  • Service providers are asked to adhere to the ordering advice given to make the best use of what vaccine stock remains.
  • Healthcare staff are urged to encourage anyone eligible to receive an influenza vaccine as quickly as possible.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Read the recent CMO correspondence regarding the influenza vaccination programme 24/25.
  • Share with all relevant members of the team.

Please contact CPNI offices if you require further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
**For The Attention Of Stop Smoking Pharmacies Only**
Dear Contractor,
Correspondence has been issued today by SPPG on behalf of Cancer Focus NI regarding Stop Smoking Specialist Training that is being offered.

SUMMARY

  • Cancer Focus NI are offering a two-day Stop Smoking Specialist Training Course on Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th February 2025.
  • The two-day course will be held at Cancer Focus NI and will run from 9.30am to 4.30pm on both training days.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Read the SPPG correspondence issued today regarding an opportunity to attend a two-day Stop Smoking Specialist Training Course and share with relevant team members.
  • Contact yvonneoreilly@cancerfocusni.org if any community pharmacists wish to attend the two-day training event.

Yours sincerely,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Autumn 2024 Seasonal Influenza Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (CPVS)
Dear Contractor

SPPG have issued correspondence 09 January 2025 regarding an extension to the seasonal influenza vaccination programme 2024/2025.

  • The correspondence references the recent announcement from the Health Minister that an extension to the flu vaccination programme to include patients aged 50-64 years has been granted.
  • SPPG will communicate with all providers the start date for vaccinating those aged 50-64 years once operational arrangements have been finalised.
  • A press release from the Department of Health has been issued which may help community pharmacy teams respond to queries from the public.
  • Community pharmacy can continue to vaccinate patients within the current eligible cohort until further information is released.

If you have any queries about the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (CPVS) please contact Greg Miller (greg.miller@hscni.net) or Grainne McMahon (Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net).

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive