Archives: Contractor Email

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

Dear Contractor

Riluzole 50mg Tablets

The January Drug Tariff price of riluzole 50mg tablets (56) has been increased to £300.23.

BSO have confirmed that this price will also be applied to any prescriptions dispensed in December in Northern Ireland.

Reminder: The Department of Health (NI) has previously advised that if any patients are currently experiencing difficulties obtaining riluzole 50mg tablets from community pharmacies, they are recommended to contact the Specialist Medicines Department at the Royal Victoria Hospital on 028 9615 2200 (8.30am to 4.30pm).  Patients will be aware of this process from before.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
REMINDER – CPNI are conducting a survey to gather information on the challenges faced by community pharmacists when trying to obtain a DPP for Independent Prescriber (IP) training.  The survey closes on 15 January 2024. Contractors are asked to share the survey with any pharmacists who may be interested in applying for IP training.  Further information is included below.

SUMMARY

  • Updated information is available on the NICPLD website in relation to the application process and criteria for the 2024 Independent Prescribing (IP) course.
  • CPNI has been made aware that some community pharmacists are having difficulty securing a Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP), which is an essential criterion for IP training.
  • CPNI have developed a survey 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.
  • Therefore 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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive