Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor

Further to CPNI Contractor Update CU#230407A, correspondence was issued by Mr Joe Brogan on Tuesday 2nd May 2023 to GP practices and GPP leads stating: ‘GP Practices are asked to review patients who no longer meet the new Drug Tariff criteria and remove multiple dispensing endorsements from their prescriptions. Guidance for GP practices has been provided in the previous correspondence’.

CPNI continues to have significant concerns about the approach that is being taken and the risks these changes present not only for community pharmacy teams and general practice, but also for patients. CPNI is strongly of the view that multiple dispensing endorsements should not be removed at this stage and that workable and safe transition arrangements should be followed until such times that revised and agreed adherence support arrangements are arrived at.

To assist contractors, CPNI has prepared this template letter for contractors to tailor accordingly and send to local GP surgeries to raise concerns with GP surgeries who may be planning to review and remove ‘multiple dispensing’ instructions from the prescriptions of patients that you provide adherence support to. Local contractors can consider sending the letter individually, or collectively as a co-signed letter, to each GP practice/surgery within your local geography.

CPNI will continue to liaise with SPPG, DoH and GP/GPP representatives in an attempt to find a workable way forward.

CPNI would ask you to ensure that all community pharmacy staff involved with multiple dispensing and adherence services are made aware of the information contained within this Contractor Update.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI offices should you require additional information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
Gerard Greene
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Contractors will have received correspondence issued from Prof Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer and Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer on Tuesday 02 May 2023 in relation to the end of the 2022/2023 Flu Season and Related Issues.

SUMMARY

Contractors will note:

End of the 2022/2023 Programme

  • The Flu Vaccination Programme ended on 31 March 2023.
  • Community Pharmacies are not required to vaccinate any population group against flu from this point onwards and over the summer in 2023. 
  • The 2022/23 flu vaccination programme was one of the most ambitious yet, and sought to offer protection to as many eligible people as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. This involved increased uptake ambitions for pre-existing cohorts, as well as extension of the vaccination offer to additional cohorts at pace.
  • Thanks are extended to all those involved in the programme for their hard work during very challenging times.
  • Acknowledgement is given to all those involved in the planning and delivery of the Seasonal Flu Vaccination Programme, including community pharmacies and their staff.

Influenza Activity

  • The 2022/23 flu season has been the first normal seasonal influenza epidemic since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Seasonal flu vaccination remains an important public health intervention and a key priority for 2023/24.

Surveillance

  • The Public Health Agency’s regular flu bulletin is the definitive source of public health surveillance information on flu activity for Northern Ireland throughout the season.

Use of Antivirals

  • The Public Health Agency surveillance data reported in the flu bulletin confirms that the circulation of flu virus in the community has remained at baseline levels. This means that:
    • GPs and other prescribers working in primary care should not prescribe antivirals for the prevention or treatment of influenza on a HS21 prescription form;
    • Community pharmacists should not supply antiviral medicines in primary care on presentation of a HS21 prescription form.

Vaccine Uptake

  • Final flu uptake data shows that by the end of March 2023 HSC services had vaccinated a record 83% of those aged over 65 years in Northern Ireland compared to approximately 78% in 2021/22 (based on GP and Community Pharmacy claims data).
  • 82.5% of care home residents were vaccinated against flu in 22/23.
  • The uptake in those aged 50 to 64 was 51.4% compared to an approximate uptake of 43.5% in 21/22.
  • Uptake in those under 50 in at-risk group was approximately 8% compared to 13.1% at the end of season last year.
  • Uptake in 2022/23 for pregnant women is 29.8% compared to 45.9% at the end of the 21/22 programme.
  • Uptake in 2022/23 for 2-4 year olds was 33% compared to approximately 25.4% in 2021/22.
  • 70.6% of primary school children were vaccinated against flu during 2022/23 compared to 72.7% in 2021/22. 60.2% of those in years 8 to 12 in secondary schools were vaccinated by end March 2022/23 compared to 63.8% in the previous year.
  • The VMS reports uptake in all frontline Trust employed HSCWs as 37.5% compared to 49.8% in 2021/22.
  • 16.8% of care home staff were vaccinated in 22/23.
  • Whilst the increased uptake rate in the age 65 and over cohort is to be commended, providers are urged to repeat this commitment and resolve in future years with the goal of increasing uptake rates across all eligible cohorts, particularly pre-school children, those in at-risk groups, pregnant women, and frontline HSCWs, where uptake has been disappointing during 2022/23.

Looking Ahead to 2023/24

  • Eligible cohorts for flu vaccination are based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations.
  • The programme aims to provide direct protection to those who are at higher risk of influenza associated morbidity and mortality and to reduce transmission to all age groups through the vaccination of children.
  • Those eligible for HSC flu vaccine in 2023/24 are:
    • all preschool children aged 2 to 4 years on 1 September 2023
    • all primary and secondary (up to year 12) school children
    • those aged six months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the influenza chapter in ‘Immunisation against infectious disease’ (the ‘Green Book’)
    • all those aged 65 years and over
    • all pregnant women
    • those in long-stay residential care homes
    • carers
    • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
    • frontline health and social care workers (HSCWs) employed by:
      • Health and Social Care Trusts including NIAS
      • community HSC providers including GP practices, pharmacies, dentists
      • registered independent sector residential care or nursing home
      • registered domiciliary care providers
      • voluntary managed hospice provider
  • Please note, unlike the last number of years, the flu vaccine will not be available during the 2023/24 programme to everyone aged 50-64 years of age, only those in a clinical at risk group.
  • The HSS Seasonal Influenza Policy letter for 2023/24 will issue in due course and will include:
    • Flu vaccination programme start date
    • Vaccine supply and ordering details
    • Detail on Health and Social Care Workers
    • Recommended vaccines for 2023/24

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Read the correspondence and ensure the relevant members of the pharmacy team have been made aware.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
Gerard Greene
Chief Executive

Dear Contractor

DHSC and MHRA have updated the list of medicines which cannot be exported from the UK or hoarded because they are needed for UK patients.

The following have been added to the list of medicines: glucagon: all strengths; powder for injection, solution for injection.
 
The updated list can be accessed here.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • ensure their team is aware of the updated list.

CPNI colleagues are available for further assistance.

Kind regards – Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

Dear Contractor
An alert has been received from the Police Service of Northern Ireland Regional Cyber Protect Officer indicating that variations of the phishing example copied below have been noted over recent days within Northern Ireland.

SUMMARY

The email wording will reflect an account/password expiry notice coming from an internal admin address and, as shown, will ask the recipient to click a link to maintain access.  Clicking the link leads to a spoofed login page, and compromised credentials are then used to gain access within a matter of hours.

ACTION

Contractors are given the following advice:

  • Ensure all relevant team members are aware of this alert
  • Do not interact with the suspicious email or reply to the sender
  • In the event the sender is someone you know, notify them by other means that their account may have been compromised
  • Follow your organisations procedures for reporting a phishing email/contact your MSP as appropriate, or in the event of smaller organisations, alert other staff
  • Help support action to frustrate the phishing campaign by forwarding the suspicious email to report@phishing.gov.uk
  • In the event of credentials being compromised, secure the account with a strong and separate password and 2SV if available
  • Ensure a check is made for the presence of unauthorised mail forwarding
  • Report the email/incident to Action Fraud (https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ or 0300 123 2040 24/7)

For advice on dealing with phishing in all its forms, please review the NCSC links below.

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams
https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/phishing

Microsoft advice on responding to a compromised account can be found at: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/responding-to-a-compromised-email-account?view=o365-worldwide

Kind regards – Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs

Dear Contractor
The Department of Health NI issued correspondence dated 28 April 2023 in relation to the extension of the expiry dates of the existing eight serious shortage protocols in place for phenoxymethylpenicillin preparations (SSP040 – SSP047) until Friday 12th May 2023. In addition, the expiry date of the current SSPs for clarithromycin preparations (SSP053 and SSP054) has been extended until Friday 26th May 2023.

SUMMARY

  • SSPs made under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 are an additional tool to manage and mitigate medicines shortages.
  • SSPs enable community pharmacists to supply specified medicines in accordance with a protocol rather than a prescription, without needing to seek authorisation from the prescriber – saving time for patients, pharmacists and prescribers.
  • Pharmacists should refer to the latest versions of the existing SSPs which are now available on the Business Services Organisation dedicated page on its website HERE.
  • Operational guidance on the implementation of SSPs in Northern Ireland can be found on the BSO website HERE.

ACTION

Contractors should:

  • Review the letter of 28 April 2023 and ensure that their dispensary teams are aware of these updates.
  • Note that the expiry date of the existing eight SSPs in place for phenoxymethylpenicillin preparations (SSP040 – SSP047) has been extended until Friday 12th May 2023.
  • Note that the expiry date of the current SSPs in place for clarithromycin preparations (SSP053 and SSP054) has been extended until Friday 26th May 2023.

Contractors should contact their local SPPG office in the first instance should further information be required. CPNI colleagues are also available for assistance.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CPNI ALERTS

DOH(NI) ALERTS

BSO ALERTS

Blood Pressure Campaign – Is Your Number Up?

Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke are launching a blood pressure campaign in May to highlight that 1 in 2 heart attacks and strokes are linked to high blood pressure.  This is the 2nd year this campaign has ran and more information is available here.

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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
Gerard Greene
Chief Executive