Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer issued correspondence on 31 January 2024 which includes information on the MHRA Drug Safety Update on Valproate and the safety and educational materials which are available to these regulatory measures. The CMO’s letter is available here.
SUMMARY
The Department’s letter includes information relating to the MHRA Drug Safety Update on Valproate, advice for healthcare practitioners, and supporting materials and resources which can be accessed here.
ACTION
Contractors are asked to:
Review the correspondence referred to above and to ensure that relevant members of their pharmacy team are aware of the content.
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact a member of the CPNI team.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
SPPG have released an important update regarding the Living Well service.
SUMMARY
Correspondencefrom SPPG for Living Well Pharmacies has been issued 31st January 2024.
The ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ survey is now live and can be accessed by clickinghere
ACTION
Contractors who provide the Living Well Service should ensure that they read and review the correspondence issued 31st January 2024
The ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ survey is now live and can be accessedhere. This survey will close 1st March 2024 at 6pm.
The next campaign ‘Know Your Units’ starts 1st February 2024.
The online resources for the campaign ‘Know Your Units’ can be found on the BSO website.
Please be aware the Living Well Quality Assurance Pilot has started 1st December 2023 and will run until 31st March 2024. Further information can be accessed by reading the letter issued by SPPG.
Please contact katie.blair@hscni.net for any further information regarding the Living Well Service.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**
This is a reminder of the opportunity to participate in a focus group discussion to help improve the Community Pharmacy Living Well Service.
Dear Contractor
Correspondence regarding the Living Well service has been issued by SPPG 19th January 2024 and can be accessed here.
SUMMARY
SPPG and PHA have issued an invite to community pharmacists that provide the Living Well service to participate in a focus group.
The focus group will give community pharmacists an opportunity to discuss what works well, what challenges are experienced, and to give suggestions for potential improvement to the service.
ACTION
Contractors who provide the Living Well Service should read the correspondence issued by SPPG 19th January 2024.
Those pharmacists who wish to be involved in the focus group should confirm their attendance by completing the Microsoft Form provided by SPPG.
The two date options for the focus group are 7th and 22nd February 1pm-2pm.
Please share this information with all relevant team members.
For any queries in relation to the Living Well Community Pharmacy service, please contact Pharmacy Adviser, katie.blair@hscni.net.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Important correspondence has been issued by SPPG 30th January 2024.
SUMMARY
SPPG have issued information regarding Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications on 30th January 2024.
From 1st February 2024 paper copies of Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications will not be posted to all community pharmacies.
These alerts will be shared via HSC secure email and will be available on the BSO website and the Primary Care Intranet.
ACTION
Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG on 30th January 2024 regarding Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications.
Community pharmacies should ensure they are up-to-date with the latest safety information around medication by checking:
Your HSC secure email to see if any Drug Alerts have been issued.
Please share this information with all relevant team members.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Information regarding a pilot for out of pocket expenses for laryngectomy and tracheostomy products has been issued by BSO 25th January 2024.
SUMMARY
Laryngectomy and tracheostomy products are appliances included in Part III (f) of the NIDT.
Whilst these products are initiated in secondary care, the supply route is currently from community pharmacies via a HS21 issued by GP practices.
CPNI have highlighted to BSO that pharmacies are dispensing these products at considerable financial loss as currently out-of-pocket expenses cannot be claimed.
A pilot will run for 6 months initially (February to July 2024) which will allow out-of-pocket expenses to be claimed for these items.
ACTION
Contractors should read and review the correspondence issued 25th January 2024 by BSO.
During the pilot period, for any claims of out-of-pocket expenses for items in Part III (f) of NIDT, prescriptions should be submitted in the uncoded/part-coded bundle with the item diamonded.
The invoice for the item must be attached, and the serial number of the prescription should be endorsed on the attached invoice.
The prescription should be endorsed with the out-of-pocket claim, along with the endorsement Part III (f) pilot. An example of this is attached within the correspondence.
Prescriptions issued before February 2024 will not be included within the pilot even if submitted within the February 2024 prescription submission.
Please share this information with all relevant team members.
Any queries should be directed to mark.nelson@hscni.net or Edward.Ashby@hscni.net
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Information regarding Freestyle Libre 3 sensors has been issued 11th January 2024 by BSO.
SUMMARY
Freestyle Libre 3 has been added to the NI Drug Tariff from 1st January 2024.
This product has been allocated the code 98879 by BSO.
ACTION
Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by BSO 11th January 2024 regarding Freestyle Libre 3 sensors.
All prescriptions for Freestyle Libre 3 sensors must be coded 98879 over the number of kits dispensed to ensure correct payment.
The product will appear in the February codebook on the BSO website.
Any queries can be directed to mark.nelson@hscni.net or David.McCleary@hscni.net
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
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