Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor

CPNI issued a contractor update on 14 December advising that updated information is now available on the NICPLD website in relation to the application process and criteria for the 2024 Independent Prescribing (IP) course.  Following that update, CPNI has been made aware that community pharmacists who would like to apply for IP training are having difficulty securing a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP).  As having a DPP is an essential criterion for application, CPNI would like to gather evidence on the extent of, and possible reasons for, this issue. CPNI would like to gather this information ahead of the IP application window which will run from 22 January 2024 to Monday 26 February 2024.  The survey findings may assist CPNI in seeking solutions to any issues which exist.

SUMMARY

• CPNI have developed a short survey for community pharmacists who are interested in applying for the IP course in 2024.
• The survey will remain open until 15 January 2024.

ACTION

Contractors are advised to:

• Note the updated information provided on the NICPLD website.
• Ask all community pharmacist employees who are considering applying for the IP course to complete the CPNI survey as soon as possible, and no later than 15 January 2024.

Please contact a member of the CPNI team should you have any queries.

Kind regards 

Dear Contractor

SPPG have issued CPVS Update Ten on  21st December relating to the COVID-19 Vaccination Service.

SUMMARY

• SPPG have issued an important update regarding the COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service.
• The PHA have confirmed that the vaccination service for COVID-19 for eligible cohorts will continue until 31st March 2024.
• This change aligns with the finish date for Community Pharmacy Flu Vaccination Service.

ACTION

• Contractors should review the CPVS update and share this information with relevant members of the pharmacy team. 
• For those pharmacies that plan to continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination until 31st March 2024, please continue to order vaccine stock once your current stock is exhausted.

Any queries regarding the Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service should be directed to Greg Miller  (Greg.Miller@hscni.net) or Grainne McMahon (Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net).

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI for any further information.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor

The December edition of the Pharmacy Technician Regulation Project Newsletter is now available on the Department of Health website.  The newsletter includes a summary of the results of the Pharmacy Technician and Support Staff survey, conducted in April 2023.  The survey intended to gather data to inform ongoing work towards establishing pharmacy technicians as a regulated healthcare profession in Northern Ireland.

SUMMARY

Contractors will note:

• Pharmacy technicians in Northern Ireland are not currently regulated, however they are recognised as regulated professionals in other parts of the UK.
• A recommendation to develop pharmacy technician regulation in Northern Ireland was outlined in the Pharmacy Workforce Review 2020.
• Plans to develop pharmacy technician regulation in Northern Ireland were announced by the Minister for Health in June 2022.
• Information on the work of the Pharmacy Technician Regulation Project to date is available here.
• A monthly newsletter is published to keep all interested stakeholders up to date, and is available here.
• The December newsletter includes a staff information poster to be printed and displayed in the workplace.
• The results of the Pharmacy Technician and Support Staff survey are included in the December newsletter and are also available here.
• Pharmacy technicians and support staff who would like to stay informed about the project can join the project mailing list to receive information and updates directly.

ACTION

Contractors should:

• Read the Pharmacy Technician Newsletter and share the information with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
• Print the staff information poster and display in an area of the pharmacy where technician and support staff colleagues are likely to view it.
• Advise technician and support staff that they can be added to the Technician Regulation Project mailing list to receive all relevant updates.
• Note: At least one staff member per pharmacy may wish to join the Technician Regulation Project mailing list to ensure that the team remain informed.

Contractors should contact CPNI offices should they have any queries on the Pharmacy Technician Regulation Project.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

The second update of concessionary prices were granted yesterday for December 2023:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Amiodarone 200mg tablets	28	£1.83
Azithromycin 250mg capsules	6	£1.73
Carbocisteine 250mg/5ml oral solution	300	£6.86
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£3.65
Cinacalcet 30mg tablets	28	£7.18
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension	70	£4.43
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets	30	£1.32
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets	100	£4.40
Colecalciferol 1,000unit capsules	30	£7.69
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops	5	£3.43
Doxazosin 4mg tablets	28	£0.91
Escitalopram 10mg tablets	28	£1.27
Etoricoxib 90mg tablets	28	£2.90
Fludrocortisone 100microgram tablets	30	£6.32
Haloperidol 5mg tablets	28	£4.62
Hydrocortisone 1% cream	15	£2.80
Hydrocortisone 1% cream	30	£3.35
Hydrocortisone 1% cream	50	£2.96
Ketoconazole 2% shampoo	120	£19.40
Lamotrigine 100mg tablets	56	£4.07
Lansoprazole 15mg gastro-resistant capsules	28	£0.93
Lansoprazole 15mg orodispersible tablets	28	£2.84
Memantine 10mg/ml oral solution sugar free	50	£45.03
Metformin 500mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£27.90
Montelukast 10mg tablets	28	£2.68
Montelukast 5mg chewable tablets sugar free	28	£1.21
Morphine sulfate 10mg/5ml oral solution	300	£5.45
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	250	£9.60
Piroxicam 0.5% gel	60	£2.12
Piroxicam 0.5% gel	112	£3.96
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets	200	£28.00
Rasagiline 1mg tablets	28	£20.23
Risperidone 1mg/ml oral solution sugar free	100	£3.16
Risperidone 2mg tablets	60	£2.03
Risperidone 4mg tablets	60	£2.39
Simvastatin 80mg tablets	28	£1.95
Sodium valproate 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	300	£10.21
Sulpiride 200mg tablets	30	£3.44
Sulpiride 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£102.45
Timolol 0.5% eye drops	5	£1.89

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 15th December by SPPG relating to the Pharmacy First Service for uncomplicated lower Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in women aged 16 to 64 years and can be accessed via this link.

Summary

This correspondence includes:

• A link to the providers list on the BSO website which can be viewed here.
• A link for any pharmacies who have yet to submit the service contract to SPPG.
• A link to some FAQs and all service resources.
• A link to help pharmacies promote the service on Facebook and Instagram.

Action

Contractors are asked to:

• Please read the correspondence issued 15th December 2023 by SPPG and share with relevant members of your pharmacy team.
• For any pharmacies that haven’t submitted their contract and wish to do so please use the following link. SPPG will monitor and update the list accordingly.
• SPPG have released some FAQs regarding the UTI service and contractors can access this information here.
• All service resources and training may be found on the BSO website here.
• Please use the following links to help promote the service on Facebook and Instagram.

If you have any queries regarding the Pharmacy First UTI service please contact your local pharmacy adviser.

CPNI colleagues are also available for any queries and advice.

Kind regards