Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague
CPNI has been liaising with BSO and DOH(NI) colleagues in relation to various issues that have been reported to us by contractors, and we can provide the following update:
Water for Irrigation 1L

Over the last number of months CPNI has been monitoring water for irrigation 1L due to significant volatility with regards to pricing and stock availability in NI.

Contractors have been providing invoices with respect to current prices of water for irrigation 1L.

CPNI has used this information to liaise with BSO colleagues and can confirm the following reimbursement prices:

May 2024 prescriptions: £2.49
June 2024 prescriptions: £2.49
July 2024 prescriptions: £2.49
August 2024 prescriptions: £2.49
September 2024 prescriptions: £2.49
October 2024 prescriptions: £1.87

Contractors should be aware that the current October 2024 Drug Tariff will list the price of water for irrigation 1L as £1.68 however, the reimbursement price is £1.87.

The reimbursement price for water for irrigation is being reviewed by BSO colleagues each month, please continue to inform CPNI of pricing and stock availability issues.
Please continue to notify CPNI of any pricing issues you are experiencing via our Medicine Shortage Reporter.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor,

Ask Your Pharmacist Week is taking place from 4 November to 11 November 2024.

This year’s theme is “Professional and convenient healthcare, from your local pharmacy team”.  The National Pharmacy Association annual campaign is a great opportunity to highlight the skills and knowledge of community pharmacists and the wider pharmacy team, and their track record of safely delivering clinical services, including treatment for common illnesses.

During this campaign we would like to raise the profile of community pharmacy across multiple media platforms and we are inviting community pharmacy teams to get involved by sharing examples of some of the work you do.

This could include:

  • Promoting the role of the team in delivering services such as Pharmacy First and Vaccinations.
  • Communicating some of the ‘unseen contributions’ the community pharmacy network makes by highlighting the everyday health interventions carried out by community pharmacy teams.
  • It could be a good opportunity to interview an FTY student who has stayed on with the team.

If you or some team members would like to get involved, please do get in touch as I can discuss some of the opportunities and draft any case studies/examples.

Kind regards,

Jude

SENT ON BEHALF OF
JUDE AUSTIN 
Communications Manager

Dear Colleague
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has re-determined the 
September 2024 concessionary price for the following medicine:
DrugPack
Size		Concessionary Price
Metformin 500mg modified-release
tablets		56£3.26 (previously £2.00)

This improved price will apply to prescriptions submitted for payment for the dispensing month of September 2024.
Please note that this revised price does not apply to October 2024 prescriptions.
The first concessionary prices for October 2024 will be published soon.

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 Shortage Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive

Dear Colleague
NICPLD has asked CPNI to remind community pharmacies participating in the foundation training programme for 2025/2026, that correspondence has been issued by email relating to the confirmation of trainee placements.

SUMMARY

  • The NICPLD correspondence can be viewed here.
  • The correspondence asks pharmacies involved in FTY 25/26 to complete and submit the form by noon today, Wednesday 09 October.

ACTION

Contractors involved in FTY 25/26 are asked to:

  • Read the NICPLD correspondence and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • Provide the necessary information to NICPLD.

Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
REMINDER: For the attention of Community Pharmacies involved in Rota Service.
Dear Contractor,

CPNI is asking those pharmacies involved in rota service to complete this data collection form.

Please return the form via email to the CPNI office  (info@communitypharmacyni.co.uk) each time you complete a rota session.

CPNI will use the information gathered to help inform rota services going forward.

Your assistance with this matter would be greatly appreciated.

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

NICPLD HIV AWARENESS WEBINAR
To support pharmacy teams delivering the Living Well Campaign ‘Looking after your sexual health’, NICPLD are hosting a HIV awareness webinar on Monday 28th October 2024 from 7-9pm.
The webinar is being delivered by the Health Improvement team at BHSCT, to help pharmacy teams to increase their awareness and understanding of HIV.
To register for the training please click 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 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