Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor,
SPPG issued a letter on 15th January 2024 providing details of the Phased Introduction of Revised Discounting Arrangements that DoH(NI) will apply to prescriptions dispensed from January 2024.

In summary:

  • the following clawback rates will be introduced:
    • Discount Scale 1: Generic medicines (excluding those granted a concessionary price) – 18.48%
    • Discount Scale 2: Appliances – 10.39%
    • Discount Scale 3: Branded medicines (plus those medicines granted a concessionary price, for the month in which the concessionary price applies) – 5.27%
  • DoH(NI) will use a phased approach to introduce the new clawback arrangements using both the new rates (referred to above) and the existing clawback arrangements on qualifying medicines and appliances, with the total clawback being calculated and deducted by BSO according to the following ratios:
    • Jan-Mar’24: 15% using the New rates and 85% using the Existing clawback arrangements.
    • Apr-June’24: 30% New and 70% Existing.
    • July-Sept’24: 50% New and 50% Existing.
    • Oct-Dec’24: 70% New and 30% Existing.
    • Jan-Mar’25: 85% New and 15% Existing.
    • April’25 onwards: 100% New and 0% Existing.

This phased approach will be applied to prescriptions dispensed from January 2024 onwards. Under the new arrangements the total amount that will be deducted for each pharmacy will change, by varying amounts, with some pharmacies seeing an increase in the amount deducted and others seeing a reduction.

At this stage you will not have the relevant drug and appliances spend data associated with your pharmacy(-ies) to calculate the impact of the changes should you need to do this for business planning purposes.  If you require this, then CPNI recommends that you contact either SPPG or BSO and ask that they retrospectively re-model the discount that was deducted for the pharmacy(-ies) you operated in the 18-month period from June 2022 – November 2023 according to the new clawback rates and the phased approach outlined above.  This will enable you to see the impact had the new arrangements been applied during that period and it will provide you with an indicative trend for the clawback going forward.

SPPG acknowledges that CPNI remains opposed to the new discount clawback arrangements within the context of the current level of funding and Drug Tariff arrangements applicable to community pharmacy service provision in Northern Ireland.  There are numerous reasons for CPNI’s opposition to the new clawback arrangements and these include the recent announcement in Scotland that the clawback being applied to qualifying branded medicines has been reduced to 1.79%, from December 2023, with the clawback on qualifying generic medicines remaining at 0%.

CPNI appreciates that the information contained within the SPPG letter, as presented, is complex and accordingly further information and clarification will be provided on this and other funding and contractual aspects at a contractor meeting to be arranged in the coming weeks.

Yours sincerely,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has re-determined the December 2023 concessionary prices for the following medicines:
DrugPack
Size		Concessionary Price
Aripiprazole 5mg tablets28£8.52
Digoxin 125microgram tablets28£3.70
Digoxin 250microgram tablets28£3.70
Ezetimibe 10mg tablets28£17.78 previously £9.44

The new and/or improved prices will apply to prescriptions submitted for payment for the dispensing month of December 2023.

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
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
Dear Contractor
The survey for the Living Well campaign ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ is due to close on 15th January 2024.

SUMMARY

  • The survey for the campaign ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ survey can be accessed here
  • Living Well information and resources on the current campaign ‘Take 5 steps to Well Being’ can be accessed here.

ACTION

  • Contractors who provide the Living Well Service and have yet to complete the online survey for the campaign ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ can access the survey here.
  • In the event that a survey is not completed, SPPG may seek to recover all, or part of, the associated funding via an adjustment to the pharmacy’s BSO payment account.

Please be aware from 1st December 2023 to 31st March 2024 a quality assurance pilot on the Living Well service is being undertaken by SPPG. Further information can be accessed from the letter issued by SPPG on 6th November 2023.

For any further information please contact CPNI offices.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.
Please note this summary covers the period 25 December 2023 – 5 January 2024.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

‘Promoting Public Health: Alcohol Consumption’ Webinar

The Community Pharmacy Living Well ‘Know Your Units’ Campaign will run throughout February and March 2024.  To support pharmacists delivering the ‘Know Your Units’ Campaign, NICPLD are running a ‘Promoting Public Health: Alcohol Consumption’ webinar on Thursday 25 January from 7-9pm.

ASCERT are delivering the webinar to enable pharmacists to identify and support individuals who drink in excess of the recommended guidelines. The content will highlight the health risks and social consequences of drinking alcohol. You will be able to understand the alcohol unit system and apply it to individual consumption, recognise the risks of mixing alcohol with medication and communicate brief advice effectively and confidently to patients about their alcohol consumption.

Visit here to register.

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,
The Department of Health issued correspondence 4th January 2024 containing updates in relation to a national patient safety alert regarding the ongoing shortage of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists.

 SUMMARY 

  • CPNI shared previous correspondence in relation to the shortage of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in contractor updates CPNI CU#230629A and CPNI CU#230719C.
  • The DoH correspondence issued 4th January 2024 supersedes the previous correspondence and provides information on the use of Rybelsus® tablets for new initiations of a GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) (in line with NICE NG28), and for switching patients where necessary and appropriate.

 ACTION 

  • Ensure the information in the DoH correspondence, including the actions to be followed by healthcare professionals, is brought to the attention of your pharmacy teams.
  • Patients should contact their GP to discuss their options.

Kind regards,

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive