Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

SPPG issued COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 11 on Tuesday 4th July 2023.  Earlier updates can be viewed here: COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 1 COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 2 COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 3 COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 4 COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 5 COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 6 COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 7 COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 9* COVID-19 Spring Booster 2023 Update 10 * Note: No update 8 was issued.

SUMMARY

Update 11 informs CPVS contractors:

• The COVID-19 vaccine programme commenced on 12 April 2023 and completed on 30 June 2023.
• Pharmacies vaccinated >15,000 individuals (care home residents, persons aged 75yrs+ and immunocompromised).
• Thanks are extended to all pharmacy teams involved in achieving this notable public health outcome.
• The programme is now complete and pharmacies should not order any further Covid vaccines for spring booster nor should any further Covid booster vaccines be administered.
• Movianto have been asked to remove the Covid vaccine Comirnaty from its pick list, for the moment.
• The Covid vaccination programme remains open (as per DoH correspondence), for Trust clinics to deliver “primary doses” only, to those individuals who have not received any primary dose vaccine.

ACTION

Contractors providing the CPVS are asked to:

• Review CPVS Update 11 and make relevant members of the pharmacy team aware that the spring booster programme has now ended.
• Ensure pharmacies have quarantined any residual stock of vaccines and await a direction from SPPG on any destruction.
• Direct eligible patients requiring primary vaccinations to the NI Direct website which includes details of the ongoing trust clinics.

Should you have further queries please contact CPNI offices or a member of the SPPG vaccination team.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor,

SPPG have advised us that a number of contractors have not yet returned: 1. The declaration form for April 2022-January 2023 (appendix 1) 2. The contract for February and March 2023 (appendix 3) 3. The monthly monitoring forms for February 2023 and March 2023 (appendix 4a or 4b)

Can we encourage you to return this documentation as soon as possible as SPPG may seek to recover adherence funding if the forms are not returned.  A separate monitoring form is required for February 2023 and March 2023.  The forms should be completed and returned even if it is a zero return.

Please contact your local SPPG office if you require any further information.

Kind regards,

Dear Contractor

Attached is a link to an article covered by Neighbourhood Retailer, in which Detectives from the Police Service’s Cyber Crime Centre underscore that Northern Ireland businesses should be on their guard against phishing emails here.

Phishing emails can target organisations of any size, type or location and are typically intended to prompt employees to click a link to a fake website which could, for example, result in the installation of malware.

CPNI has previously passed on details of such reported scamming (CU#230620A: Cyber Crime Alert) along with advice and guidance in respect of securing your computer systems.

Action

Contractors are asked to:

• Read the attached links and alert pharmacy teams to the phishing scams currently detected in Northern Ireland.

Further information can be accessed via the links on the Cyber Protect webpage HERE.

Kind regards

Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams.

CPNI ALERTS

• Final Concessionary Prices – June 2023 30 June 2023
• Medicine Supply Notification: GLP-1 receptor agonists used in the management of type 2 diabetes 29 June 2023
• SSP Expiry Date Extensions – Clarithromycin preparations 26 June 2023

DOH(NI) ALERTS

• MHRA Drug Safety Update – Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) – Potential Risks Following Prolonged Use After 20 Weeks of Pregnancy 30 June 2023
• MHRA Drug Safety Update: Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIS): New Guidance and Resources for Safe Use 30 June 2023
• COVID-19 Treatments: Amended Independent Advisory Group Report of Highest Risk Groups 30 June 2023
• Hayfever – Supplement 2023 30 June 2023
• ‘Know Check Ask’ Staff Survey 27 June 2023
• Community Pharmacy Service: Living Well Campaigns Social Media Schedule Updated 28 June 2023

BSO ALERTS

• Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
• Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
  • Paracetamol Suppositories 29 June 2023
  • Diazepam 10mg/2.5ml Rectal Solution Tubes 29 June 2023
  • GLP-1 Receptor Agonists 27 June 2023
• Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.

MHRA UPDATE

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): potential risks following prolonged use after 20 weeks of pregnancy

We want to let you know that the MHRA published a Drug Safety Update on 27 June 2023 to remind healthcare professionals that the use of oral and injectable NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac is contraindicated in the last trimester of pregnancy (after 28 weeks of pregnancy).

Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar and Contractor Emails.

Or report medicine shortages, pricing and staffing issues via the CPNI’s Medicine Shortage Reporter and Situation Reporter.

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s).

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

The final update of concessionary prices were granted today for June 2023:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Alginate raft-forming oral suspension sugar free	500	£3.80
Amiloride 5mg tablets	28	£13.46
Amoxicillin 125mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	100	£2.68
Benzoyl peroxide 5% / Clindamycin 1% gel	60	£22.22
Buprenorphine 8mg sublingual tablets sugar free	7	£11.36
Calamine lotion	200	£1.86
Chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops	10	£12.51
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£4.01
Clotrimazole 500mg pessary and Clotrimazole 2% cream	1	£10.79
Co-careldopa 12.5mg/50mg tablets	90	£4.93
Co-trimoxazole 80mg/400mg tablets	28	£2.34
Docusate 50mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	300	£18.81
Flucloxacillin 250mg capsules	28	£2.45
Isoniazid 100mg tablets	28	£60.00
Ivabradine 5mg tablets	56	£28.33
Letrozole 2.5mg tablets	14	£6.66
Methylphenidate 5mg tablets	30	£3.45
Mometasone 0.1% cream	30	£3.60
Mycophenolate mofetil 500mg tablets	50	£7.69
Pantoprazole 20mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£6.62
Pantoprazole 40mg gastro-resistant tablets	28	£9.23
Paracetamol 500mg effervescent tablets	100	£10.34
Pregabalin 300mg capsules	56	£4.02
Promethazine hydrochloride 25mg tablets	56	£29.32
Quinine sulfate 200mg tablets	28	£7.97
Risperidone 500microgram tablets	20	£2.98
Rosuvastatin 20mg tablets	28	£4.98
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules	20	£11.04
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment	60	£41.69
Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment	30	£22.36
Tamsulosin 400microgram / Dutasteride 500microgram capsules	30	£14.53
Tolterodine 2mg tablets	56	£3.55
Topiramate 100mg tablets	60	£16.53
Tramadol 37.5mg / Paracetamol 325mg tablets	60	£7.38
Trazodone 50mg capsules	84	£3.45
Venlafaxine 75mg tablets	56	£11.51
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets	6	£18.85
Zolmitriptan 2.5mg tablets	12	£37.70

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 new Medicine Shortage Reporter.

Concessionary prices are also published on the CPNI website.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague,

Further to CPNI CU#230623A please see below the Teams joining details for tonight’s CPNI Contractor Update meeting at 8.15pm: Microsoft Teams meeting Join on your computer, mobile app or room device Click here to join the meeting Meeting ID: 344 404 459 89 Passcode: NaAzjC

This update Contractor meeting will start approximately 15 minutes after the SPPG Adherence ECHO meeting has ended.

Yours sincerely,