Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague
The final update of concessionary prices were granted yesterday for January 2024:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amoxicillin 250mg/5ml oral suspension100£2.45
Anastrozole 1mg tablets28£1.38
Aripiprazole 10mg tablets28£13.34
Aripiprazole 15mg tablets28£13.75
Aripiprazole 5mg tablets28£11.32
Baclofen 10mg tablets84£1.99
Benzydamine 0.15% mouthwash sugar free300£4.79
Benzylpenicillin 600mg powder for solution for injection vials2£6.01
Cabergoline 500microgram tablets8£17.16
Calcium and Ergocalciferol tablets28£50.48
Carbocisteine 250mg/5ml oral solution300£7.49
Carbocisteine 375mg capsules120£4.80
Carbomer ‘980’ 0.2% eye drops10£3.19
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£3.65
Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml oral suspension70£4.04
Clarithromycin 250mg/5ml oral suspension70£5.47
Clarithromycin 500mg tablets14£7.68
Clobazam 10mg tablets30£4.99
Co-amoxiclav 250mg/62mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free100£2.20
Co-amoxiclav 500mg/125mg tablets21£3.47
Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets90£4.26
Co-careldopa 25mg/100mg tablets100£9.70
Co-codamol 30mg/500mg capsules100£6.39
Dexamfetamine 5mg tablets28£22.34
Digoxin 250microgram tablets28£2.68
Digoxin 62.5microgram tablets28£2.73
Donepezil 5mg tablets28£1.87
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops5£4.83
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml eye drops5£3.14
Duloxetine 60mg gastro-resistant capsules28£2.89
Eplerenone 50mg tablets28£4.38
Esomeprazole 40mg gastro-resistant capsules28£3.82
Etoricoxib 60mg tablets28£13.55
Etoricoxib 90mg tablets28£5.43
Ezetimibe 10mg tablets28£15.86
Famotidine 20mg tablets28£17.84
Famotidine 40mg tablets28£28.51
Fenofibrate micronised 160mg tablets28£3.29
Flucloxacillin 500mg capsules28£2.41
Hydrocortisone 1% cream15£2.24
Hydrocortisone 1% cream30£4.48
Hydrocortisone 10mg tablets30£1.98
Ispaghula husk 3.5g effervescent granules sachets gluten free sugar free30£6.32
Ketoconazole 2% shampoo120£18.23
Lansoprazole 30mg gastro-resistant capsules28£1.30
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops2.5£10.77
Lofepramine 70mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free150£147.74
Lorazepam 500microgram tablets28£18.27
Memantine 10mg/ml oral solution sugar free50£45.46
Memantine 20mg tablets28£1.36
Mercaptopurine 50mg tablets25£8.99
Mycophenolate mofetil 500mg tablets50£6.13
Nebivolol 2.5mg tablets28£11.64
Nebivolol 5mg tablets28£6.55
Ondansetron 4mg tablets10£3.99
Oxycodone 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free250£8.91
Permethrin 5% cream30£15.29
Piroxicam 0.5% gel60£1.97
Pregabalin 200mg capsules84£3.18
Primidone 250mg tablets100£85.97
Prochlorperazine 3mg buccal tablets50£8.90
Pyridostigmine bromide 60mg tablets200£22.06
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets28£8.19
Rasagiline 1mg tablets28£44.99
Rivastigmine 1.5mg capsules28£2.69
Rizatriptan 10mg orodispersible tablets sugar free3£9.67
Ropinirole 1mg tablets84£32.83
Ropinirole 2mg tablets28£28.19
Salbutamol 2.5mg/2.5ml nebuliser liquid unit dose vials20£15.21
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules20£9.50
Sulpiride 200mg tablets30£3.26
Sulpiride 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£98.66
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment30£18.87
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment60£37.74
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules30£17.78
Trospium chloride 20mg tablets60£10.83

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
Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer issued correspondence on 31 January 2024 which includes information on the MHRA Drug Safety Update on Valproate and the safety and educational materials which are available to these regulatory measures.  The CMO’s letter is available here.

SUMMARY

  • The Department’s letter includes information relating to the MHRA Drug Safety Update on Valproate, advice for healthcare practitioners, and supporting materials and resources which can be accessed here.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Review the correspondence referred to above and to ensure that relevant members of their pharmacy team are aware of the content.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact a member of the CPNI team.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
SPPG have released an important update regarding the Living Well service. 

SUMMARY

  • Correspondencefrom SPPG for Living Well Pharmacies has been issued 31st January 2024.
  • The ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ survey is now live and can be accessed by clickinghere

ACTION

  • Contractors who provide the Living Well Service should ensure that they read and review the correspondence issued 31st January 2024
  • The ‘Take 5 steps to wellbeing’ survey is now live and can be accessed here. This survey will close 1st March 2024 at 6pm.
  • The next campaign ‘Know Your Units’ starts 1st February 2024.
  • The online resources for the campaign ‘Know Your Units’ can be found on the BSO website.

Please be aware the Living Well Quality Assurance Pilot has started 1st December 2023 and will run until 31st March 2024. Further information can be accessed by reading the letter issued by SPPG.

Please contact katie.blair@hscni.net for any further information regarding the Living Well Service.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**
This is a reminder of the opportunity to participate in a focus group discussion to help improve the Community Pharmacy Living Well Service.
Dear Contractor
Correspondence regarding the Living Well service has been issued by SPPG 19th January 2024 and can be accessed here.

SUMMARY

  • SPPG and PHA have issued an invite to community pharmacists that provide the Living Well service to participate in a focus group.
  • The focus group will give community pharmacists an opportunity to discuss what works well, what challenges are experienced, and to give suggestions for potential improvement to the service.

ACTION

  • Contractors who provide the Living Well Service should read the correspondence issued by SPPG 19th January 2024.
  • Those pharmacists who wish to be involved in the focus group should confirm their attendance by completing the Microsoft Form provided by SPPG. 
  • The two date options for the focus group are 7th and 22nd February 1pm-2pm.
  • Please share this information with all relevant team members.
  • For any queries in relation to the Living Well Community Pharmacy service, please contact Pharmacy Adviser, katie.blair@hscni.net.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Important correspondence has been issued by SPPG 30th January 2024.

SUMMARY

  • SPPG have issued information regarding Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications on 30th January 2024.
  • From 1st February 2024 paper copies of Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications will not be posted to all community pharmacies.
  • These alerts will be shared via HSC secure email and will be available on the BSO website and the Primary Care Intranet.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG on 30th January 2024 regarding Drug Alerts/Medicines Recall Notifications.

Community pharmacies should ensure they are up-to-date with the latest safety information around medication by checking:

  • Your HSC secure email to see if any Drug Alerts have been issued.
  • The Primary Care Intranet, Drug Alerts Section.
  • The BSO website, Drugs Alerts Section.

Please share this information with all relevant team members.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Information regarding a pilot for out of pocket expenses for laryngectomy and tracheostomy products has been issued by BSO 25th January 2024.

SUMMARY

  • Laryngectomy and tracheostomy products are appliances included in Part III (f) of the NIDT.
  • Whilst these products are initiated in secondary care, the supply route is currently from community pharmacies via a HS21 issued by GP practices.
  • CPNI have highlighted to BSO that pharmacies are dispensing these products at considerable financial loss as currently out-of-pocket expenses cannot be claimed.
  • A pilot will run for 6 months initially (February to July 2024) which will allow out-of-pocket expenses to be claimed for these items.

ACTION

  • Contractors should read and review the correspondence issued 25th January 2024 by BSO.
  • During the pilot period, for any claims of out-of-pocket expenses for items in Part III (f) of NIDT, prescriptions should be submitted in the uncoded/part-coded bundle with the item diamonded.
  • The invoice for the item must be attached, and the serial number of the prescription should be endorsed on the attached invoice.
  • The prescription should be endorsed with the out-of-pocket claim, along with the endorsement Part III (f) pilot. An example of this is attached within the correspondence.
  • Prescriptions issued before February 2024 will not be included within the pilot even if submitted within the February 2024 prescription submission.
  • Please share this information with all relevant team members.
  • Any queries should be directed to mark.nelson@hscni.net or  Edward.Ashby@hscni.net

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive