Archives: Contractor Email

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

If you or someone you care for is a Patient of any Neurology Service in Northern Ireland you may wish to take part in this engagement opportunity.

The Department of Health are currently reviewing Regional Neurology Services in Northern Ireland. They have been tasked with identifying the best configuration of Neurology Services for the next 10-15 years.

The Review is considering how patients are best supported; who provides that support and whether it is best delivered in secondary care, primary care or in the community. They have also carried out extensive analysis of services, which will inform priorities for change.

They are now in a position to invite feedback on the broad range of draft recommendations, to support a person-centred, sustainable neurology service going forward.

They wish to hear from current Patients/Carers of patients of any Neurology Service in NI to ask your views on the following:

  • Does the report adequately reflect the issues within the service currently experienced by service users?
  • Do the recommendations of the Report reflect the extent of change needed to ensure neurology services are appropriate for patient need in the future?
  • Are there any gaps or areas that may need further consideration?

Engagement will take place online late February/early March 2024. Participants will be provided pre-reading materials one week before the meeting.

If you, or someone you care for, is currently a Patient of any Neurology Service in Northern Ireland and wish to take part in this engagement opportunity, please fill in the form below by 5pm Friday 9 February 2024.

To apply to take part click: Regional Review of Neurology Services in Northern Ireland Engagement Opportunity – Patient and Client Council Northern Ireland (pcc-ni.net).

To read more about this topic click: Review of Neurology Services – Interim Report | Department of Health (health-ni.gov.uk).

For more information and any questions you may have, please contact: Sorcha Forbes on Tel: 028 9536 2136 or Email: Sorcha.Forbes@pcc-ni.net.

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 Contractor,

Further to Contractor Update 230612B please see a letter from CPNI to Contractors dated 26th January 2024.

Following changes on 1st May 2023 to the Northern Ireland Drug Tariff related to instalment and multiple dispensing arrangements CPNI received a number of queries from Contractors for which we sought clarification from DoH(NI)/SPPG and external advisors to CPNI.

The letter summarises the clarification received by CPNI. You are asked to read and consider the information it contains.

The information in the letter can be shared with colleagues involved in the provision of instalment dispensing and adherence support.

The upcoming CPNI Contractor Meeting on Tuesday 6th February 2024 will provide a further opportunity to expand on aspects contained in the letter.

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

Yours sincerely,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The second update of concessionary prices were granted today for January 2024:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amiodarone 200mg tablets28£1.83
Amisulpride 100mg tablets60£18.21
Atorvastatin 80mg tablets28£3.10
Azithromycin 250mg capsules6£5.08
Betahistine 16mg tablets84£8.34
Betahistine 8mg tablets84£4.17
Bimatoprost 100micrograms/ml eye drops3£5.55
Brinzolamide 10mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops5£10.15
Calcipotriol 0.005% / Betamethasone dipropionate 0.05% ointment30£12.12
Clomipramine 50mg capsules28£8.06
Clotrimazole 1% cream50£4.11
Co-codamol 15mg/500mg tablets100£3.40
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets30£1.32
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets100£4.40
Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules30£7.35
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops 0.2ml unit dose preservative free60£25.03
Duloxetine 20mg gastro-resistant capsules28£9.18
Duloxetine 40mg gastro-resistant capsules56£9.20
Estradiol 10microgram pessaries24£10.52
Etoricoxib 30mg tablets28£4.37
Glycopyrronium bromide 200micrograms/1ml solution for injection ampoules10£13.32
Hydrocortisone 2.5% cream15£46.95
Hydroxocobalamin 1mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules5£11.29
Isotretinoin 20mg capsules30£10.92
Lamotrigine 100mg tablets56£4.07
Lofepramine 70mg tablets56£16.10
Mebeverine 200mg modified-release capsules60£6.59
Metformin 500mg modified-release tablets56£1.74
Mometasone 50micrograms/dose nasal spray140£9.47
Montelukast 10mg tablets28£2.20
Montelukast 5mg chewable tablets sugar free28£1.19
Prednisolone 5mg soluble tablets30£49.65
Pregabalin 150mg capsules56£2.18
Quinine sulfate 300mg tablets28£3.95
Ropinirole 500microgram tablets28£15.75
Sodium fluoride 1.1% dental paste sugar free51£5.40
Zonisamide 100mg capsules56£24.75

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

Contractors received correspondence from SPPG on 23rd January 2024 as follow-up to previous SPPG and CPNI correspondence.

The SPPG correspondence outlines that there is no facility for BSO to provide retrospective modelling information to individual contractors in relation to planned NIDT clawback changes.  This is disappointing and unfortunately limits your ability to understand the potential implications of the planned clawback changes on your BSO payments.

The reality of either the previous or planned new clawback models is that the NIDT arrangements differ significantly from the Scottish clawback arrangements where generic clawback remains at 0%, with branded clawback reduced on all qualifying medicines to 1.79% from December 2023.  A consequence of applying either the previous NIDT or the planned new NIDT clawback arrangements is that they will contribute to the on-going and worsening financial environment that contractors are operating in.

CPNI continues to make representations to senior DoH(NI) and SPPG officials in relation to a range of financial, workload and workforce issues that contractors are experiencing.

A contractor meeting will be held, in-person, w/c 5th February 2024 at which further information on funding, clawback, services and other issues will be provided to you.

Further details associated with the contractor meeting will be provided in due course.

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

Yours sincerely

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
You will be aware that The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) issued correspondence to registrants on 20 July 2023 with regard to meeting regulatory standards during periods of global and national shortage of medicines.  CPNI issued a Contractor Update on 21 July 2023.

PSNI again wrote to pharmacists on 17 January 2024 (here) indicating that some of the resources mentioned in the earlier statement have been updated.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Review the original statement along with the updates highlighted in the recent correspondence.
  • Note that the advice issued in the original statement concerning meeting relevant regulatory standards still stands, including that underscoring the importance of professionals being able to account for their decisions.

Contractors should contact PSNI or their local SPPG office in the first instance should further information be required. CPNI colleagues are also available for assistance.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

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