EXPRESSION OF INTEREST OPPORTUNITY FOR PHARMACY TECHNICIANS & PHARMACY SUPPORT STAFF TO BE INVOLVED IN A PTRD WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SUB-GROUP
The Pharmacy Technician Regulation and Development (PTRD) Workforce Development subgroup is seeking to gather input from Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Support staff to help highlight the range of interesting and rewarding roles that are available across all Pharmacy settings in Northern Ireland.
Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF Gerard Greene Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
I have been asked by Heather Moorehead, Director of the Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care (NICON) to circulate information associated with a process that NICON is taking forward to appoint a Primary Care Network Lead to help establish and lead a new Primary Care Network in Northern Ireland and, to encourage applications from the community pharmacy sector.
In December 2024, Minister of Health Mike Nesbitt published his Three Year Plan for Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI). This was updated by a Reset Plan this week on 9th July 2025 with the plans setting out a clear aspiration to support moving care closer to home, using technology and investing in a much greater preventative approach. In this context there are significant opportunities for primary care stakeholders to play a key role in the delivery of these key strategic shifts.
Working closely with SPPG and local primary care stakeholders (including CPNI) and with the support of the NHS Confederation’s Primary Care Network, NICON has agreed that there is an opportunity to create a new Northern Ireland Primary Care Network.
NICON, on behalf of HSCNI, is now seeking to recruit a healthcare practitioner to establish and lead this new network. The Primary Care Network Lead will be a primary care clinician who will play a critical role in supporting the establishment and development of a thriving primary care network offering, which provides leadership and develops influential perspectives on behalf of primary care.
There is therefore a unique opportunity for a community pharmacist, who meets the role specification, to lead and play a formative role in both this new Primary Care Network and in the implementation of the Health Minister’s plans to modernise and reset the healthcare model in Northern Ireland as envisaged within the 3-Year HSCNI Plan and the Reset Plan.
Further information on this role is available here.
Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices ☎️(028) 9069-0444 should you require any additional information or if you wish to speak further about this unique opportunity.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI has issued correspondence dated 10 July 2025 regarding the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programme 2025/26.
SUMMARY
The correspondence includes the following key points:
The Seasonal Influenza Vaccination programme is expected to commence in NI in early October 2025 (exact dates to be confirmed in due course).
It is expected that most vaccinations will be administered by early December 2025 to ensure those considered most at risk are protected.
There will be some patient cohorts who can be vaccinated in September e.g. pregnant women.
Where possible, this year’s influenza programme should be delivered in conjunction with this autumn’s COVID-19 programme, in order to optimise vaccine uptake and to ensure resources are deployed effectively and efficiently for both programmes. Please note, unlike in previous campaigns, eligibility for the COVID-19 2025/26 programme will not align with eligibility for the influenza programme.
A small pool of Sessional Vaccinators, employed by the Public Health Agency, are available to support GPs and Community Pharmacy with co-administration of the COVID-19 and influenza programmes throughout the Autumn campaign. Further information on this workforce and requests for support can be raised by contacting the PHA at: PHAVaccinesitrep@hscni.net
Those eligible for influenza vaccine in 2025/2026 are:
all those aged 65 years and over on 31 March 2026
all those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the influenza chapter in ‘Immunisation against infectious disease’ (the ‘Green Book’)
those in long-stay residential care homes
pregnant women
all preschool children aged two to four years on 1 September 2025
all school-aged children (up to and including year 12)
all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
carers
close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
high risk poultry and avian animal health workers
all health and social care workers
The Community Pharmacy Cohorts:
Community Pharmacies can vaccinate anyone from the following cohorts:
Health and Social Care workers
those aged 65 and over
for carers
for those aware of their ‘at risk’ status
those who are pregnant
All RQIA registered care home residents and staff
ACTION
Contractors providing vaccination services should review and note the DoH correspondence and share with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
Further operational information will be issued in due course.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.
An update on the project work, including the revised timeline for completion by the end of 2027.
A survey to gather further information from student technicians who are currently undertaking the Level 3 Diploma.
A staff information poster inviting technicians, student technicians and pharmacy support staff to engage with the Technician Workforce Subgroup and provide more information on their role profiles and career pathways.
ACTION
Contractors should:
Note the contents of the Pharmacy Technician Newsletter and bring to the attention of relevant members of the pharmacy team.
Advise technician and support staff to join the Technician Regulation Project mailing list to receive all relevant updates.
Contractors can contact a member of the CPNI team should they have any queries on the Pharmacy Technician Regulation Project.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
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