Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

With community pharmacy being recognised as the main provider of COVID-19 vaccinations, CPNI are looking at the public messaging linked to the service. To help dispel some of myths circulating relating to when and why you should receive your booster vaccine, we have produced social media cards HERE and HERE.

To reach as wide an audience as possible, we would invite all contractors to share the social media cards the week of 7-14 February 2022, adding in messages specific to their own vaccine clinics. 

To support contractors, we have drafted a social media guide for Twitter.

You will find some example tweets on booster vaccines below, which can be adapted to suit individual pharmacies.

1. Haven’t had your COVID vaccine yet? There’s still time! Vaccines help reduce your risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19. Book yours today (Clinic details)
2. Have you had your booster yet? Booster vaccines are the best protection against COVID-19. Drop into [pharmacy name/clinic time) to get yours.
3. We are proudly delivering the COVID-19 vaccine programme for nearly a year. Haven’t had yours yet – there’s still time!  Drop into [pharmacy name] and we will help protect you from the virus.
4. Going on holiday this summer? In some locations a booster is now a requirement for entry! Don’t delay – book in our clinic (pharmacy name/clinic time) to get your vaccine.

This is an opportunity to raise the public profile of community pharmacy and its vital role in bringing the pandemic to an end. Reinforcing the messaging that community pharmacy teams are continuing to roll-out the vaccine service, helping to protect their communities whilst continuing to deliver daily services such as dispensing.

Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

This update contains important information for community pharmacy teams, including details of the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

BSO ALERTS 

• Weekly Drug Alerts are available here.
  • MPS 2846 – Medicines Defect Information –  Naprosyn tablets 3February 2022
  • MPS 2845 – Medicines Defect Information – Ibuprofen 400mg tablets 1 February 2022
  • MPS 2843 – Medicines Defect Information – Piperacillin/Tazobactam 4g 31 January 2022
• Weekly Shortages Information is available here.
  • Aspirin Suppositories 150mg and 300mg 31 January 2022
• Serious Shortage Protocols are available here.

CPNI ALERTS 

• REMINDER Reminder Grant Funding Allocation Deadlines
• REMINDER Pharmacy Services Reminders

• Promoting COVID-19 Booster Vaccine on Social Media – A Guide for Contractors 4 February 2022
• Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework 2 February 2022
• Final Concessionary Prices – January 2022 2 February 2022
• Cyber Awareness Matters 2 February 2022
• PSNI: CPD and Registration Management using Regulator Online 2 February 2022
• Fifth Concessionary Prices – January 2022 1 February 2022
• Falsified Medicines Directive: Action Required By April 2022: Update 1 February 2022
• Stock Requisition Form for Private Schedule 2 and 3 Controlled Drugs (CDRF1) 1 February 2022
• Falsified Medicines Directive: Action Required by April 2022 1 February 2022
• Presentation Of Fraudulent Private Prescriptions From ROI Addresses 31 January 2022
• Smoking Regulations 31 January 2022
• Training For Pharmacy Support Staff – Request For Expression Of Interest 31 January 2022

HSCB ALERTS 

• DHSC Monthly Supply Bulletin February 2022
• Update M3 – Spikevax ® extension of thawed shelf life 1 February 2022
• Antivirals or Neutralising Monoclonal Antibodies (nMABs) For Non-Hospitalised Patients with COVID-19 – Update 1 February 2022
• COVID-19 Therapeutic Alert: Interleukin-6 inhibitors (Tocilizumab or Sarilumab) for adult patients hospitalised due to COVID-19 1 February 2022
• Antivirals and Neutralising Monoclonal Antibodies in the treatment of COVID-19 in Hospitalised Patients 31 January 2022

Please bring this to the attention of your pharmacy team(s). Pharmacy team(s) can keep updated via CPNI’s Contractor Calendar or the Contractor Emails.

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

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

With community pharmacy being recognised as the main provider of COVID-19 vaccinations, CPNI are looking at the public messaging linked to the service. To help dispel some of myths circulating relating to when and why you should receive your booster vaccine, we have produced social media cards HERE and HERE.

To reach as wide an audience as possible, we would invite all contractors to share the social media cards the week of 7-14 February 2022, adding in messages specific to their own vaccine clinics. 

To support contractors, we have drafted a social media guide for Twitter.

You will find some example tweets on booster vaccines below, which can be adapted to suit individual pharmacies.

1. Haven’t had your COVID vaccine yet? There’s still time! Vaccines help reduce your risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19. Book yours today (Clinic details)
2. Have you had your booster yet? Booster vaccines are the best protection against COVID-19. Drop into [pharmacy name/clinic time) to get yours.
3. We are proudly delivering the COVID-19 vaccine programme for nearly a year. Haven’t had yours yet – there’s still time!  Drop into [pharmacy name] and we will help protect you from the virus.
4. Going on holiday this summer? In some locations a booster is now a requirement for entry! Don’t delay – book in our clinic (pharmacy name/clinic time) to get your vaccine.

This is an opportunity to raise the public profile of community pharmacy and its vital role in bringing the pandemic to an end. Reinforcing the messaging that community pharmacy teams are continuing to roll-out the vaccine service, helping to protect their communities whilst continuing to deliver daily services such as dispensing.

Please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

Please find correspondence HERE from Joe Brogan, Assistant Director of Integrated Care, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management.

SUMMARY

• HSCB is seeking completion of the Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework (CPAF) declaration form for your pharmacy, for the 2021/2022 year.
• The aim and purpose of the framework is to monitor compliance with Terms of Service, service specifications, related professional standards and best practice guidance.
• HSCB has recently worked with CPNI to review, update and agree the Assurance framework for the 2021/22 year.
• A payment of £1200 will be made to each pharmacy, upon return of the completed declaration, for compliance with the CPAF process in 2021/22.

ACTION

• Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
• Complete and return the individual prepopulated declaration form which you will have received by secure email. Please submit a return for each pharmacy you operate, to your local HSCB office via email by Monday 28 February 2022.
• You are also required to submit a copy of your practice leaflet and complaints procedure.
• CPNI have produced a guidance document and resources to support you with this submission, including a template practice leaflet, available on CPNI’s website HERE.
• Please do not hesitate to contact your local Local Integrated Care Offices or the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

Dear Colleague

The final update concessionary prices were granted for January 2022:

Drug	Pack Size	Concessionary Price
Amiloride 5mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£121.38
Imipramine 25mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£183.03
Lofepramine 70mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free	150	£104.67
Sulpiride 200mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£79.39
Verapamil 40mg/5ml oral solution sugar free	150	£120.87

Concessionary prices will be paid against the usual code, no additional endorsements are needed.

Concessionary prices may be granted up until the end of the month so CPNI will notify you of any further concessionary prices as and when they are agreed.

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

Cyberattacks on healthcare systems throughout the world (and on some very close to home) can lead to devastating consequences financially, reputationally and legally.

What you would do if your pharmacy IT system was compromised tonight, and tomorrow morning you could not access patient details, dispensing histories, statutory records, outstanding order details, ordering platforms, staff salary details, or your business bank account particulars?

In respect of your pharmacy systems, you are at an increased risk if you do any of the following:

• Use a “free” email account
• Allow unfiltered access to websites from your system
• Use default passwords for all systems and staff
• Use the unsupported Windows 7 systems
• Have no or inadequate antivirus protection
• Lack a firewall
• Have an open Wi-Fi
• Fail to train your staff on how to recognise cyber-attacks

ACTION

Contractors should as a matter of priority:

1. Consider the above and contact your IT and/or PMR system provider if your system is at risk of being compromised

Further helpful and easy-to-read guidance issued by the National Cyber Security Centre is available via the attached links (Cyber Security Small Business Guide and Cyber Security Small Business Guide Actions)   

Contractors are reminded that the storage and back up of patient sensitive data and any amendments to your systems should only be carried out in line with advice from your IT or email supplier, PMR system provider and in line with Data Protection legislation.

CPNI colleagues will be happy to further advise on these matters.

Kind regards – Mike

SENT ON BEHALF OF
PROF. MIKE MAWHINNEY
Head of Regulatory Affairs