Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

The second update of concessionary prices were granted today for February 2025:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Bimatoprost 300micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops	3	£8.83
Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% gel	60	£23.70
Cefalexin 500mg tablets	21	£2.85
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension	70	£5.79
Estradiol 10microgram pessaries	24	£10.68
Fenofibrate micronised 160mg tablets	28	£3.50
Gabapentin 600mg tablets	100	£46.60
Hydroxocobalamin 1mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules	5	£11.02
Isosorbide mononitrate 20mg tablets	56	£3.85
Isotretinoin 20mg capsules	30	£13.67
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution	500	£5.15
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml eye drops	2.5	£1.92
Methylphenidate 10mg tablets	30	£4.13
Methylphenidate 54mg modified-release tablets	30	£73.62
Mometasone 0.1% ointment	30	£3.13
Naftidrofuryl 100mg capsules	84	£10.90
Ondansetron 8mg tablets	10	£4.19
Pregabalin 100mg capsules	84	£2.29
Ramipril 2.5mg tablets	28	£1.19
Salbutamol 100micrograms/dose inhaler CFC free	200	£1.97
Travoprost 40micrograms/ml / timolol 5mg/ml eye drops	2.5	£12.51
Venlafaxine 225mg modified-release capsules	28	£20.71
Verapamil 80mg tablets	84	£2.30

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

Dear Colleague,

The Committee for Health will receive a briefing from Department of Health officials on the Community Pharmacy Strategy on Thursday 6th March 2025, and they have requested a briefing from CPNI immediately ahead of that update.

To provide committee members with a greater understanding of the community pharmacy landscape, including some of the challenges local contractors in their constituencies are facing, we are inviting contractors to engage with their local Health Committee members (listed below).

We have outlined the following key messages, which you could consider tailoring to your own pharmacy, to support this engagement

• Highlight the impact of chronic underfunding.
• Reference the constant juggle to pay medicine suppliers on time each month, this can be seen with a comparison of medicines bills to the funding received.  The figures simply don’t add up, regularly falling short of the funding which is needed to run a pharmacy today.
• Outline the impact the Employer NIC and NMW/NLW changes announced in the Autumn 2024 Budget will have on additional payroll costs for your pharmacy.
• Illustrate in real terms what this means: reduction in opening hours/service provision/redundancies.

Demonstrate the vital health transformation role of Community Pharmacy

• This winter community pharmacies have played an important role in managing patient care, from vaccinations, clinical services such as Pharmacy First, to triaging patients.
• Successfully diverting patients away from other healthcare settings, with stabilisation and investment the network can do so much more to alleviate pressures across the health service.

Health Committee Members

North Antrim:
Chairperson: Mr. Philip McGuigan MLA, Sinn Féin
Email: philip.mcguigan@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

East Antrim:
Deputy Chairperson Mr. Danny Donnelly MLA, Alliance
Email: danny.donnelly@co.niassembly.gov.uk

North Down:
Mr. Alan Chambers MLA, UUP
Email: alan.chambers@co.niassembly.gov.uk

Mid Ulster:
Mrs. Linda Dillon MLA, Sinn Féin
Email: linda.dillon@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

Upper Bann:
Mrs. Diane Dodds MLA, DUP
Email: diane.dodds@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

West Belfast:
Miss Órlaithí Flynn MLA, Sinn Féin
Email: orlaithi.flynn@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

North Belfast:
Miss Nuala McAllister MLA, Alliance
Email: nuala.mcallister@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

South Down:
Mr. Colin McGrath MLA, SDLP South Down
Email: colin.mcgrath@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

East Londonderry:
Mr. Alan Robinson MLA, DUP
Email: alan.robinson@mla.niassembly.gov.uk

If there isn’t a MLA from your area represented on the Health Committee, you are invited to share your experience of running a community pharmacy with the Committee Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson.

Please do get in touch with CPNI, if you need further information.

Thanks,

Jude

SENT ON BEHALF OF
JUDE AUSTIN 
Communications Manager

**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**

Dear Contractor

Correspondence has been issued by SPPG on 17 February 2025 to those pharmacies yet to submit an evaluation survey for the Living Well campaign ‘Stay well this winter’.

SUMMARY

• All pharmacies contracted to provide the Living Well service must complete an evaluation survey after each campaign, unless otherwise informed.
• SPPG reserves the right to recoup payment for a campaign if the evaluation survey is not submitted.
• The survey for the campaign ‘Stay well this winter’ is open and can be accessed here.
• The survey must be completed by 6pm 3 March 2025, please ensure to reach the final screen to confirm submission.

ACTION

Contractors who have yet to complete the Living Well survey for the campaign ‘Stay well this winter’ are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG on 17 February 2025 and share with relevant team members.

For any further information please contact CPNI offices.

Kind regards

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

• First Concessionary Prices – February 2025 14 February 2025
• Updates on Independent Prescribing in Community Pharmacy 14 February 2025

BSO ALERTS

• Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
  • MPS 3338 MMS 2228 – Medicines Defect Information – Lansoprazole Gastro-resistant Hard Capsules 15mg 11 February 2025
• Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
  • Quetiapine 50mg, 150mg, 200mg, 300mg and 400mg Modified-release Tablets 10 February 2025
• Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.

REMINDER Consultation on Valuing Medicines – DoH Stakeholder Engagement Webinar

• A webinar is being held on Friday 21 February 2025 12-2pm by the Department to discuss Valuing Medicines – A Strategy for the Sustainable Use of Medicines in Northern Ireland.
• The webinar will give attendees the opportunity to learn more about the consultation and share any views.
• Further information including joining details can be found here.
• The consultation can be found here and closes on 26 February 2025.

Cancer Research UK: Screening Campaign 2025

From 17 February to 30 March 2025, Cancer Research UK are running a screening campaign to help raise public awareness of the national cancer screening programmes for bowel, breast and cervical cancer in Northern Ireland. The campaign will run on TV, radio, in cinema, billboards, social media, digital display adverts and regional media.

Health professionals including community pharmacists play a key role in supporting access to screening and Cancer Research UK will share information and resources with community pharmacy teams to support conversations relating to screening which may occur with patients.

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

Dear Colleague

The first update of concessionary prices were granted today for February 2025:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Acamprosate 333mg gastro-resistant tablets	168	£21.65
Alfuzosin 2.5mg tablets	60	£4.46
Benzydamine 0.15% mouthwash sugar free	300	£4.67
Carbimazole 20mg tablets	100	£3.67
Cefalexin 500mg capsules	21	£2.45
Desogestrel 75microgram tablets	84	£2.43
Fenofibrate micronised 200mg capsules	28	£3.61
Isosorbide mononitrate 10mg tablets	56	£1.74
Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules	10	£5.33
Morphine sulfate 10mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules	10	£5.23
Naproxen 250mg gastro-resistant tablets	56	£8.54
Naproxen 500mg gastro-resistant tablets	56	£18.79
Nefopam 30mg tablets	90	£4.09
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	250	£9.71
Rizatriptan 10mg tablets	3	£8.79
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment	30	£25.92
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment	60	£47.28
Tadalafil 10mg tablets	4	£0.97
Tadalafil 2.5mg tablets	28	£12.08
Telmisartan 40mg tablets	28	£5.36
Trihexyphenidyl 2mg tablets	84	£2.97
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets	60	£10.40
Vardenafil 20mg tablets	4	£21.95

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

Dear Contractor

CPNI wishes to highlight a number of updates in relation to independent prescribing (IP).

SUMMARY

• The application process for the NICPLD Independent Prescribing (IP) course opened on 02 December 2024 and is available on the NICPLD website.
• NICPLD has advised that the application deadline for community pharmacist applicants has been extended to: 1 April 2025 
  • Advice for prospective applicants is available here.
  • Advice for prospective DPPs is available here, and an e-learning course is available here.
  • Queries from applicants and/or prospective DPPs can be sent to: nicpld-prescribing@qub.ac.uk.
• The Department of Health has announced that they will host an ECHO webinar on IP on 18 February 2025. The agenda is available here.
• Pharmacists can register to join the community pharmacy ECHO network by emailing e.kane@hospiceuk.orgor

CURRENT POSITION IN COMMUNITY PHARMACY

• 50 NICPLD IP training places are available for community pharmacy applicants in the 25/26 cohort.  
• As of w/c 27 January 2025, only 4 community pharmacists have submitted completed applications.  Note: Applications are not considered “complete” until a DPP has been secured.
• CPNI is aware that the number of community pharmacists wishing to undertake IP training is significantly higher than those who have been able to complete applications. 
• Many community pharmacists are unable to apply due to the difficultly in obtaining a suitable DPP.  This was evidenced by a survey conducted by CPNI in December 2023.
• BSO data indicates that at present, there are approx. 26 community pharmacist IPs who are actively prescribing with HSCNI prescription pads. 
• It is likely that there are other community pharmacist IPs who are not currently using their IP skills.
• Community pharmacist IPs can prescribe when providing Pharmacy First services, including the Emergency Hormonal Contraception, UTI, Sore Throat and the Shingles pilot.
• Community pharmacist IPs can obtain a HSCNI cipher and prescription pad by following the updated process outlined in the SPPG letter of 12 December 2024, available here.
• Community pharmacist IPs may also be involved in the provision of private services that utilise their IP skills. This prescribing activity may also be considered relevant for those considering acting as a DPP for a fellow pharmacist.

CPNI CONSIDERATION

• In early February, CPNI wrote formally to the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer and met with NICPLD to outline the ongoing difficulties experienced by community pharmacists who are unable to access IP training, and requested that specific supports are now put in place to allow all 50 community pharmacy IP training places to be filled.
• In parallel, CPNI has called on the Department to further develop IP services in the community pharmacy sector, to:
  • Utilise and develop the existing IP skills in the network.
  • Prepare the sector for the new pharmacists from 2026 onwards who will join the register as IPs.
  • Enable existing community pharmacist IPs to act as a DPP for a fellow pharmacist or an FTY undertaking IP training, and thus remove the reliance on other health professionals and sectors for DPP support.
• While CPNI welcomes any potential expansion or extension to community pharmacy prescribing services, we continue to underscore that this must happen at pace and in a manner which also fully supports IP training and career development for the existing community pharmacy network.
• As such, CPNI considers that the Department and NICPLD must now provide specific supports, actions and timelines in relation to developing IP in community pharmacy.
• Those attending the Department of Health ECHO may have an opportunity to raise questions on matters of concern, such as those referred to above.
• CPNI would welcome a similar degree of urgency, support and flexibility for the development of IP in the community pharmacy sector as has been extended to the Hospital sector in preparation for the integration of IP training into the new FTY programme, and in providing DPP support for up to 200 FTY trainees per year.

ACTION

Contractors are advised to:

• Review the information provided above and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team, including any pharmacists who are considering IP training or DPP roles.

Please contact NICPLD if you have any questions or queries relating to IP. Additionally, should you wish to speak to a member of the CPNI team please call or email Ennis.

Kind regards