Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor

Please see the attached correspondence issued by Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer 1st March 2024 regarding Covid-19 testing guidance.

SUMMARY

• The correspondence issued today by the CMO contains updated information on the requirements for Covid-19 testing following a review by the Department’s Expert Advisory Group on Testing.
• The Public Health Agency (PHA) has refreshed operational guidance to health and social care settings, setting out updated advice on COVID-19 testing. This guidance can be accessed here.
• COVID-19 testing of symptomatic staff across health and social care settings, including hospitals, primary care, community, care homes and hospices, is no longer required. 
• There are exceptions to this advice which is detailed within the guidance.

ACTION

• Contractors are asked to read the letter issued by the CMO 1st March 2024 and familiarise themselves with the updated PHA guidance here.
• Please share this information with all relevant members of the pharmacy team.

Do not hesitate to contact CPNI for any further information.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor

The Pharmaceutical Society NI (PSNI) issued correspondence to all registrants, on behalf of the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, on 28 February 2024.

The CPO’s letter asks registered pharmacists in all sectors who are qualified Independent Prescribers (IPs), to consider taking on the role of Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) for a community pharmacist wishing to undertake IP training. 

THE DPP ROLE

• Any pharmacist applying to train as an IP must first secure the support of a suitably qualified DPP.  
• The DPP role is a voluntary, unpaid role which involves mentoring a pharmacist who is training to become an IP.
• The DPP can be a medical or non medical prescriber and must have a minimum of 3 years recent and frequent prescribing experience in a patient facing role, in the IP trainee’s intended area of practice. 
• The DPP must directly supervise the IP trainee for a minimum of 20 of their 90 hours of learning in practice. 
• The DPP is responsible for assessing the IP trainee, confirming their clinical competence, and must sign-off on the IP trainee’s learning in practice.
• Full information on the eligibility criteria and requirements for DPPs can be found here. 
• The CPO’s letter indicates that pharmacists considering acting as a DPP for a fellow pharmacist can contact NICPLD for further clarity on the role and whether they meet the criteria.

COMMUNITY PHARMACIST APPLICATIONS FOR IP

• Since NICPLD released information on the IP application process for 2024 (CU#240117B) CPNI has received concerns from contractors regarding the difficulty facing community pharmacists when trying to secure a DPP for IP training.
• CPNI conducted a survey (CU#240103A) in January which indicated:
  • 95% of community pharmacist respondents would like to apply for the NICPLD IP training course.
  • 71% of respondents had made attempts to secure a DPP.
  • The majority indicated that they asked GPs and/or General Practice Pharmacists to be their DPP. 
  • A small number indicated that they asked Hospital Pharmacists and/or other non-medical prescribers.
  • None of the community pharmacists who responded had been successful in obtaining a DPP to support their IP training. 

CPNI REPRESENTATIONS

CPNI have raised these issues with the CPO and NICPLD since mid-January 2024.  The CPO’s letter seeking DPP support and the recent extension to the NICPLD IP application window (outlined in CU#240201D) have come about in response to CPNI representations.

While CPNI acknowledges the steps taken by the CPO and NICPLD, we are of the opinion that DoH(NI) need to do more to demonstrably support and enable community pharmacists to take up the 50 IP places that have been ring-fenced for the sector. CPNI will therefore continue to make representations to the CPO and NICPLD seeking further supports for DPP provision for community pharmacists and equitable access to further learning and development, in parity with pharmacists in other sectors, and in accordance with the recommendations of the Pharmacy Workforce Review 2020 which include: 

• All pharmacists should be supported to undertake foundation training, progressing to independent prescribing and advanced pharmacy practice.
• A career pathway should be developed for community pharmacists.

ACTION

• Contractors should read the CPO letter and share the information with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
• Contractors should direct any community pharmacists considering NICPLD IP training to review the NICPLD application information.
• As was discussed by contractors at the CPNI contractor meeting on 28 February 2024, contractors and/or their pharmacists may wish to make direct representations to the CPO on this matter, in which case they should address their concerns to the contact details provided in the CPO letter: cathy.harrison@health-ni.gov.uk, and nicpld-prescribing@qub.ac.uk.

Should you wish to speak to a member of the CPNI team, please do not hesitate to contact the office or email queries to Ennis.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

The final update of concessionary prices were granted yesterday for February 2024:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets	28	£9.53
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets	28	£9.69
Aripiprazole 5mg tablets	28	£7.57
Baclofen 10mg tablets	84	£2.78
Baclofen 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	300	£3.46
Benzoyl peroxide 5% / Clindamycin 1% gel	30	£12.07
Benzylpenicillin 600mg powder for solution for injection vials	2	£6.01
Betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream	30	£1.43
Bimatoprost 100micrograms/ml eye drops	3	£4.60
Bisacodyl 5mg gastro-resistant tablets	60	£4.25
Cabergoline 500microgram tablets	8	£17.52
Calcium and Ergocalciferol tablets	28	£52.70
Cefalexin 500mg capsules	21	£2.64
Cinacalcet 30mg tablets	28	£8.72
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension	70	£3.87
Clarithromycin 250mg tablets	14	£2.88
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension	70	£5.50
Clobazam 10mg tablets	30	£4.99
Clonidine 25microgram tablets	112	£15.98
Co-amoxiclav 250mg/125mg tablets	21	£3.51
Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets	90	£4.59
Co-careldopa 25mg/100mg tablets	100	£8.90
Cyclizine 50mg tablets	100	£3.99
Digoxin 125microgram tablets	28	£2.90
Digoxin 250microgram tablets	28	£2.56
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops	5	£4.20
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops	5	£3.12
Duloxetine 20mg gastro-resistant capsules	28	£8.40
Etoricoxib 30mg tablets	28	£4.02
Etoricoxib 60mg tablets	28	£15.14
Etoricoxib 90mg tablets	28	£12.52
Famotidine 40mg tablets	28	£28.51
Fenofibrate micronised 160mg tablets	28	£3.29
Hydrocortisone 1% cream	15	£2.49
Hydrocortisone 1% cream	30	£5.75
Hydroxocobalamin 1mg/ml solution for injection ampoules	5	£11.14
Itraconazole 100mg capsules	15	£15.40
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops	2.5	£7.48
Lofepramine 70mg tablets	56	£16.96
Lofepramine 70mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	150	£147.67
Lorazepam 500microgram tablets	28	£19.57
Melatonin 1mg/ml oral solution sugar free	150	£122.86
Memantine 10mg tablets	28	£1.19
Mercaptopurine 50mg tablets	25	£8.62
Methenamine hippurate 1g tablets	60	£16.81
Metoclopramide 10mg tablets	28	£1.47
Metoprolol 100mg tablets	28	£2.75
Midazolam 10mg/2ml solution for injection ampoules	10	£5.71
Mometasone 0.1% cream	30	£3.60
Mometasone 0.1% ointment	30	£3.55
Mometasone 50micrograms/dose nasal spray	140	£4.60
Mycophenolate mofetil 500mg tablets	50	£6.19
Nebivolol 5mg tablets	28	£5.84
Ondansetron 4mg tablets	10	£5.80
Permethrin 5% cream	30	£14.78
Prednisolone 5mg soluble tablets	30	£51.51
Pregabalin 200mg capsules	84	£4.12
Pregabalin 300mg capsules	56	£3.08
Primidone 250mg tablets	100	£86.95
Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg tablets	56	£13.46
Propantheline bromide 15mg tablets	112	£108.44
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets	200	£22.27
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets	28	£7.65
Rizatriptan 10mg orodispersible tablets sugar free	3	£8.87
Ropinirole 1mg tablets	84	£32.83
Ropinirole 2mg tablets	28	£28.19
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules	20	£9.50
Sodium valproate 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	300	£7.78
Sulpiride 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£99.05
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment	30	£15.59
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment	60	£31.17
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules	30	£14.83
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets	60	£10.89
Zolmitriptan 5mg orodispersible tablets sugar free	6	£23.86
Zonisamide 100mg capsules	56	£18.88

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

Correspondence has been issued by SPPG regarding the Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (ETP) Project.

SUMMARY

As part of the ePharmacy- Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions (ETP) development programme, SPPG are asking contractors to provide information on the PMR provider and PMR system used by 9th March 2024.

ACTION

• Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG 21st February 2024.
• Please use the Microsoft Form link available HERE to provide information on the PMR provider and PMR system you currently use by 9th March 2024.
• Please share this information with all relevant members of your team.
• Any queries or issues regarding this should be directed to  epharmacy@hscni.net.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor,

As a follow up to the CPNI meeting with the Health Minister on 21st February, CPNI has been asked by SPPG for assistance in obtaining information from Contractors on the increased staff costs they incurred in 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24.

It is recognised by SPPG and DoH(NI) that significant changes to National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) arrangements from 1st April 2021 obligated community pharmacies to review and increase all staff salary/wages annually since then. To assist in potentially off-setting these increased costs SPPG will submit a business case, informed by Contractor salary/payroll information, to try and secure further in-year funding for the community pharmacy sector.

Your assistance is therefore sought in relation to providing the following tax year payroll information for the 3 years referred to above:

1. Monetary value of your total increased salary/payroll costs in each year compared to the previous year.  The additional E’er NIC should also be provided.
2. The number of pharmacy staff that this relates to.
3. The percentage of the increased costs that relate to staff with any NHS related activity.
4. The number of pharmacies to which the information relates to.

Whilst this information is required for the periods 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 payroll/tax years it is anticipated that a similar follow-up exercise is likely to be required for 2024/25, to take account of the further significant NMW/NLW changes applicable from April 2024.

The information for the 3 years referred to above is the priority at this stage, but additional pension contribution costs will also be required in due course given that increased pension costs are also a natural consequence of NMW/NLW increases.  If you, or your payroll administrator/accountant is also able to provide the additional pension cost information at this stage then please include this as an additional line in your return to CPNI.

While I appreciate there are many demands on your time at present can you provide the information listed above to office@communitypharmacyni.co.uk no later than Tuesday 5th March 2024.

Further information on this, as well as other potential areas where Contractors in NI are subject to demonstrable and unique NI-cost increases relative to other parts of the UK, for which SPPG may be able to provide additional funding for, will be provided at this evening’s Contractor meeting.

Any information provided to CPNI will treated as private and confidential, it will be internal to CPNI office staff only and it will be shared only with SPPG in an anonymised format for the purposes outlined above.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI office should you need additional information or clarification in relation to this request.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Contractor

DHNI has written to contractors (here) enclosing a link to the online controlled drug declaration and self-assessment for 2024 which is mandated under The Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.

Action

Contractors are reminded that this online questionnaire must be completed by 31 March 2024.

If you have any queries regarding the completion of the questionnaire, in the first instance please contact Roisin Madine (02890 520264) roisin.madine@health-ni.gov.uk or Aaron McKendry (02890 528628) aaron.mckendry@health-ni.gov.uk.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs