Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Contractor

SPPG issued correspondence on 05 September to all community pharmacies regarding the regional roll out of NIECR.

Summary

• NIECR is a healthcare system which allows professionals such as community pharmacists to review a patient’s care record. At present a small cohort of community pharmacists have existing access to NIECR for the purpose of providing the Pharmacy First Service for Uncomplicated Lower Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s).
• The SPPG have developed a rollout plan to facilitate additional community pharmacist access to the NIECR system.
• Rollout will be initiated in a phased approach in September 2023 starting with large multiples then small multiples, independents by LCG area and locums.  This is the most efficient way of progressing rollout for SPPG.
• CPNI have been given a commitment by SPPG that rollout will be progressed across the network as soon as possible.
• Rollout will be initiated through Business Support teams in local SPPG offices.
• The NIECR system can be accessed through the Community Pharmacy Portal (after login credentials have been provided). Training material and guidance will be made available for NIECR users via the BSO website and the Primary Care Intranet. Further information will be provided as rollout is progressed.

Action

• Review the correspondence and bring to the attention of relevant members within your pharmacy team.
• Await further information from SPPG.

Should you have any queries please contact a member of the CPNI team.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor

SPPG issued correspondence on 06 September providing details of the COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza vaccination programme for Autumn 23.

Summary

• The Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (CPVS) COVID-19 & Seasonal Influenza – Autumn 2023 will officially begin on 18th September 2023.
• All contractors have the opportunity to participate in this service on submission of signed contracts (Appendix 1 COVID & Appendix 2 Flu which are included in the service letter).
• Community pharmacies will offer the COVID and Flu vaccines to those aged 18 years and above in the following eligible groups:
  • aged 65 years or older,
  • those under 65 who are clinically at risk – based on evidence supplied by the patient such as a GP letter, hospital letter or medication etc,
  • Immunosuppressed patients and their household contacts aged 18 to 64 years who provide evidence of eligibility by way of correspondence from their GP,
  • frontline health and social care staff (as set out in the Green Book definition),
  • pregnant women,
  • carers who seek vaccination (as set out in the Green Book definition).
• Details on the vaccines to be used in the service are included in the service letter.
• The service specifications and PGDs are available at the BSO and PCI.
• Community pharmacies who have completed their contract can place orders for COVID-19 Comirnaty BA.4/5 [vaccine] and Flu- aQIV (65yrs and over) & QIVc (under 65yrs) with Movianto from 11th September, in preparation for the start date on 18th September.
• Details of the service remuneration are contained in the service letter.
• Further details on the regional COVID-19 and Influenza vaccination programme can be found in the relevant letters from the Chief Medical Officer.
• Any queries regarding access to the Vaccine Management System (VMS) should be directed to tom.coyle@hscni.net.
• Any queries regarding CPVS should be directed to greg.miller@hscni.net or Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net .

Action

• Review the correspondence and bring to the attention of relevant members within your pharmacy team.
• Those wishing to participate in this service should return a completed contract by secure email to their local SPPG office by 5pm Wednesday 13th September.

Should you have any queries please contact a member of the CPNI team.

Kind regards

Dear Contractor

The Department of Health has issued an update (dated 4 September 2023) in respect of Serious Shortage Protocol SSP056 relating to Utrogestan 100mg capsules here.

SUMMARY

Contractors should note the following:

The expiry date for SSP056 (Utrogestan 100mg capsules) has now been extended until Friday 29 September 2023.

Contractors are reminded of the details relating to the decision pathways for SSPs; notification of GPs; the need for patient/carer agreement, and action to take when this is not given; professional judgement; and actions regarding unclear quantities.

ACTION

Contractors should:

• Read the attached letter and ensure that their dispensing teams are fully apprised of the update to SSP056.
• Note that the latest versions of SSPs are available on the Business Services Organisation dedicated page on its website HERE.

CPNI colleagues will continue to keep you up to date with details of any further SSPs issued.

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

• Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service (Flu and COVID-19) Autumn 2023 1 September 2023
• Final Concessionary Prices – August 2023 30 August 2023
• Cyber Crime Alert: Remote Access Scams 30 August 2023
• FAO Living Well Pharmacies – Completion of Living Well Surveys 30 August 2023
• SSP057 ESTRADOT® (ESTRADIOL HEMIHYDRATE) 100MICROGRAMS / 24 HOUR PATCH and SSP058 JEXT® 300MCG / 0.3ML SOLUTION FOR INJECTION AUTO-INJECTOR PEN 30 August 2023

DOH(NI) ALERTS

• Planning Letter 01-09-23 COVID and Flu CPVS Service – Autumn 2023 1 September 2023
• Class 4 Medicines Notification – Kyowa Kirin Limited, Tostran (Testosterone, 2% Gel), PL 16508 0025 31 August 2023
• Safety and Quality Alert: LL-AR-2023-047 – Use of Gum-based Thickeners with Polyethylene Glycol Laxatives (Macrogols) and Guidance Document on the Management of Constipation in Adults with Dysphagia 31 August 2023
  • Safety and Learning Letter: Use of Gum-based Thickeners with Polyethylene Glycol laxatives (Macrogols)
  • LL-AR-2023-047 – FAQ’s – Use of Gum-based Thickeners with Polyethylene Glycol laxatives (Macrogols)
• Class 2 Medicines Recall – Veriton Pharma Limited, Epistatus 2.5 mg Oromucosal ~ Filled Syringe (PFS), PLGB 16786 0015 30 August 2023

BSO ALERTS

• Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
  • Loceryl 5% w/v Medicated Nail Lacquer (5.0 ml) 29 August 2023
• Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
• Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.
  • Letter from Prof Cathy Harrison CPO – Utrogestan SSP – Further Expiry Date Extension 1 September 2023
  • SSP056 Utrogestan 100mg Capsules This SSP has been varied. The expiry date is now 29 September 2023.

MHRA UPDATE

• Permethrin 5% cream added to the list of medicines which cannot be exported or hoarded.

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 Contractor,

SPPG issued correspondence today to all contractors in relation to the community pharmacy vaccination service for Autumn 2023.

SUMMARY

• The programme will officially start on 18 September 2023.
• Community pharmacies planning on vaccinating a care home should initiate pairing arrangements with the care home and complete the online questionnaire (https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/hsc/cp-covid19-autumn-booster-service/) as soon as possible and before 5pm on Monday 11 September.
• The eligible cohorts for both COVID-19 and flu vaccinations are those aged 18 and above in the following groups:
  • All residents and staff in a care home registered with the RQIA;
  • All adults aged 65 years and over;
  • Persons aged 18 years to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book, COVID-19 chapter/Influenza chapter (Green Book);
  • Frontline health and social care workers;
  • Persons aged 18 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression (as defined in the Green Book);
  • Persons aged 18 to 64 years who are carers (as defined in the Green Book);
  • Pregnant women.
• The service specification and PGDs will be available soon on the BSO website.
• Comirnaty BA.4.5 and XBB COVID-19 mRNA vaccines will be administered to individuals as the autumn booster doses.  Deployment will initially be with Comirnaty BA.4.5 vaccine and will transfer to Comirnaty XBB vaccine when this is licenced and distributed.
• Community pharmacies will be able to place orders for COVID-19 Comirnaty BA.4.5 vaccines and Influenza vaccines (aQIV and QIVc) with Movianto from Monday 11 September.
• All patients vaccinated as part of the CPVS must be recorded on the regional VMS.  Pharmacies are asked to test their access to VMS in advance of the programme.  If there are any difficulties in accessing the VMS either phone BSO ITS Service Desk on Tel: 028 95 36 2400 or Email: supportteam@hscni.net and ask for a support call to be raised on your behalf.  Please make it clear that the issue relates to the Vaccine Management System.
• Any provider that does not currently have access can contact Tom Coyle (tom.coyle@hscni.net) who will provide further information on setting up and accessing VMS.  New contractors should be aware it may take up to ten working days to set up a new pharmacy access to VMS.
• Details on the fee structure, the item of service fee, set up fee and associated payments will be published shortly when confirmed by DH.

ACTION

• Please ensure you read the correspondence that was issued today and share it with relevant members of the your pharmacy team.
• If you have any queries in relation to this service contact either: (greg.miller@hscni.net), (Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net).

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI should you have any other queries.

Kind regards,

Dear Colleague

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

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Amisulpride 200mg tablets	60	£32.34
Atomoxetine 10mg capsules	28	£36.44
Atomoxetine 18mg capsules	28	£26.35
Atomoxetine 25mg capsules	28	£31.95
Atomoxetine 60mg capsules	28	£48.64
Atorvastatin 80mg tablets	28	£5.26
Betahistine 8mg tablets	84	£3.89
Betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream	30	£4.49
Brimonidine 0.2% eye drops	5	£2.36
Chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£7.39
Cinacalcet 30mg tablets	28	£7.49
Clarithromycin 500mg tablets	14	£7.69
Clonazepam 500microgram tablets	100	£23.94
Dorzolamide 20mg/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops	5	£2.69
Eplerenone 50mg tablets	28	£5.89
Etoricoxib 60mg tablets	28	£2.27
Flucloxacillin 250mg/5ml oral solution	100	£3.35
Fludrocortisone 100microgram tablets	30	£7.05
Itraconazole 100mg capsules	15	£9.48
Latanoprost 50micrograms/ml / Timolol 5mg/ml eye drops	2.5	£11.28
Letrozole 2.5mg tablets	14	£4.62
Orlistat 120mg capsules	84	£24.74
Permethrin 5% cream	30	£11.99
Phenoxymethylpenicillin 125mg/5ml oral solution	100	£8.65
Phenoxymethylpenicillin 250mg/5ml oral solution	100	£8.47
Pregabalin 75mg capsules	56	£2.03
Quetiapine 25mg tablets	60	£1.38
Rizatriptan 10mg orodispersible tablets sugar free	3	£10.45
Ropinirole 500microgram tablets	28	£12.09
Sodium chloride 0.9% nebuliser liquid 2.5ml unit dose ampoules	20	£9.50
Topiramate 100mg tablets	60	£12.15
Tramadol 37.5mg / Paracetamol 325mg tablets	60	£4.95
Travoprost 40micrograms/ml / timolol 5mg/ml eye drops	2.5	£5.03
Valaciclovir 500mg tablets	10	£17.57
Warfarin 1mg tablets	28	£0.84
Warfarin 5mg tablets	28	£1.58

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