Archives: Contractor Email

“Over half of UK small businesses identified a cyber attack last year”
Free: My Cyber Toolkit

Dear Contractor

Over half of UK small businesses identified a cyber attack last year

Around 1 in 3 UK small businesses experienced a cyber crime

(Source: Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024)

These are startling figures.

In response, the Northern Ireland Cyber Security Centre (NICSC) has launched ‘My Cyber Toolkit’ which you can access via this link: Cyber Toolkit.  This is supported by the NI Police Cyber Security Lead.

This free toolkit, which is aimed at the small business sector, contains actionable guidance and can be completed in your own time (it is estimated that it should take about two hours to complete).  This is a FREE user friendly tool that will help you to be more cyber resilient and help you reduce the likelihood of a cyber attack.

How it works:

Get personalised actions
After a few short questions, you’ll get a list of actions handpicked for small businesses by the government’s cyber security experts.

Complete them at your own pace
Starting with low-effort, high-impact actions, the guidance walks you through each one step-by-step.  You can then mark them as completed and keep track of your progress.

Build layers of protection around your business
As you complete actions, you’ll build layers of protection around your business that prevent common cyber threats such as email hacking, data breaches and ransomware.

Action

Contractors are advised to:

Note the free toolkit which is available here and consider applying it to your business.

Contractors are reminded that the storage and back up of patient sensitive data and any amendments to your systems should be carried out in line with advice from your PMR system provider and in line with Data Protection legislation.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

Dear Colleague
The final update of concessionary prices were granted today for November 2024:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Desloratadine 5mg tablets *30£4.56
Memantine 20mg tablets28£7.99
Melatonin 1mg/ml oral solution sugar free150£50.50
Mercaptopurine 50mg tablets25£22.41
Travoprost 40micrograms/ml / timolol 5mg/ml eye drops *2.5£10.59
Vardenafil 20mg tablets *4£3.65
Please note that products marked with an * will roll over into December 2024.

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 Contractor,

Following the recent Autumn Budget announcement that included increases to both Employer NIC contributions and NLW/NMW in 2025/26, a letter, co-signed by the Chairs of Community Pharmacy NI, British Dental Association (NI), BMA NI General Practitioners Committee, and Optometry NI was sent to the Health Minister Mr Mike Nesbitt MLA seeking relief against these cost increases. The letter also asked that the relevant pay and remuneration uplifts for 2024/25 are provided in full to respective contractors at the earliest opportunity.

A press release was also issued today in relation to the co-signed CPNI, BMA, BDA and ONI letter to the Health Minister.

CPNI considers the joint approach to be highly significant, demonstrating very clearly the shared concerns that exist within primary care to both the 2025/26 Budget changes and the current levels of investment in primary care. CPNI will continue to make representations on behalf of community pharmacy contractors on on-going contractual and funding matters.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices if you require any additional information.

Yours sincerely,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**
Dear Contractor
Correspondence has been issued by SPPG on 02 December 2024 regarding the Living Well Campaign.

SUMMARY

  • The survey for the campaign ‘Sexual Health’ has opened on 02 December 2024 and can be accessed here.
  • The survey will remain open until 6pm on Monday 13 January 2025.
  • The current campaign ‘Stay well this winter’ began on 1st December 2024 and online resources for this campaign can be found on the BSO website.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to review the correspondence issued by SPPG on 02 December 2024 regarding the Living Well Service and share with relevant team members.
  • The survey for the campaign ‘Sexual Health’ is now available and must be completed before 6pm on Monday 13 January 2025.

For any further information please contact CPNI offices.

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

Sore Throat Service rolled out across community pharmacies

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced the roll out of a ‘Pharmacy First for Sore Throat’ Service from community pharmacies across Northern Ireland this winter.

Promotional materials

Pharmacy First Sore Throat – Instagram/Facebook
Pharmacy First Sore Throat – X

Pharmacies urge public to Stay Well this winter

The latest Living Well campaign – ‘Stay Well this Winter’ highlights actions the public can take to protect their health over the winter months and the support available through community pharmacies.  The campaign is running during December 2024 and January 2025.

Promotional materials

Living Well press release
Social media planner
Social media assets

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
Dear Colleague
The fourth update of concessionary prices were granted today for November 2024:
DrugPack
Size		Concessionary Price
Amantadine 100mg capsules56£17.66
Amitriptyline 25mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£16.35
Apixaban 5mg tablets56£3.27
Aqueous cream100£1.10
Aqueous cream500£5.50
Ascorbic acid 100mg tablets28£35.26
Ascorbic acid 500mg tablets28£32.75
Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% gel60£22.22
Carbimazole 20mg tablets100£3.66
Carbimazole 5mg tablets100£4.13
Co-amoxiclav 250mg/62mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£3.60
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops5£6.05
Erythromycin 250mg gastro-resistant tablets28£6.81
Escitalopram 5mg tablets28£2.39
Haloperidol 1.5mg tablets28£10.57
Hydrocortisone 10mg tablets30£2.02
Itraconazole 100mg capsules15£6.95
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution500£4.63
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops2.5£3.80
Levetiracetam 750mg tablets60£4.47
Lofepramine 70mg tablets56£24.50
Lorazepam 1mg tablets28£6.82
Memantine 10mg tablets28£4.14
Memantine 10mg/ml oral solution sugar free50£27.97
Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules10£5.58
Mometasone 0.1% cream30£3.39
Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules10£5.40
Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules84£10.05
Nortriptyline 10mg tablets100£4.10
Olanzapine 10mg tablets28£3.36
Olanzapine 20mg tablets28£3.37
Olanzapine 5mg tablets28£2.29
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free250£8.66
Oxytetracycline 250mg tablets28£13.10
Pregabalin 50mg capsules84£9.24
Ropinirole 2mg tablets28£24.91
Temazepam 10mg tablets28£25.05
Temazepam 20mg tablets28£25.08
Terbinafine 250mg tablets14£3.50

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