Archives: Contractor Email

Dear Colleague

Reminder

CPNI have prepared some resources to support pharmacy teams answer any subsequent queries in relation to the cessation of Non-Commissioned Adherence Service to new patients. 

These include:

  • *New* MDS Briefing is now available to inform discussions with other stakeholders such as MLAs etc.
  • Patient/Carer Information Leaflet: Adherence Service
    • Patients are invited to contact the Health and Social Care Board, details of which are on the patient and carer information leaflet.
    • Should a patient wish to make a complaint to HSCB, details can be found HERE.

To continue with adherence support in its current format would put patient safety and core pharmacy services at risk and contractors have taken this step to protect and support increasingly stretched community pharmacy teams.

Please ensure that these materials are shared with your pharmacy team members in each pharmacy you operate.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPNI Office on 028 9069 0444 for further advice or support.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
Please find attached updated correspondence HERE from Prof. Sir. Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer.

SUMMARY

DoH(NI) Correction

In line with the announcement of changes to the self-isolation guidance for those who have received a positive COVID-19 test result, health and social care staff who test positive will be able to leave self-isolation and return to work, if they test negative on days 5 and 6 after the date that symptoms started or the date of their initial positive test, whichever is the sooner. This means if a staff member tests negative on the morning of day 6 and was also negative 24 hours earlier, they can return to work on day 6 provided they meet the  requirements as outlined in correspondence:

  • The staff member should continue to undertake daily LFTs until day 14.

ACTION

  • There have been multiple changes to COVID guidance in recent weeks therefore Contractors are asked to review the correspondence.
  • Please do not hesitate to contact your local HSCB office or the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The fourth update concessionary prices were granted for January 2022:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Cinnarizine 15mg tablets 84£3.92
Fenofibrate micronised 160mg tablets 28£4.08
Ibuprofen 100mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free 100£1.70
Lansoprazole 15mg orodispersible tablets 28£3.15
Prasugrel 5mg tablets 28£34.95
Valsartan 160mg capsules 28£11.95

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

SENT ON BEHALF OF
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist

FAO ALL Pharmacies delivering CCPVS services

VACCINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (VMS) UPDATE RUNNING ON TUESDAY 25th JANUARY – 8pm to 10pm
The VMS software update will run on Tuesday 25th January from 8pm to 10pm. The system will be offline during the update and pharmacies will not be able to access the system during this period.
If you are administering any vaccinations during a time when VMS is unavailable, please record these manually in the interim so that you can enter into VMS after the release window is over. Paper vaccination record forms are available online at the BSO website.
FOR INFORMATION ONLY

Name changes to COVID-19 vaccines
The VMS is updating the names of the vaccines in line with the licensed products.
In summary:
Moderna vaccine brand = Spikevax®
AZ vaccine brand = Vaxzevria®
Pfizer vaccine brand = Comirnaty®
Addition of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (0.5ml)
The software update will add the option to record Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (0.5ml). As this NOT part of the current Community Pharmacy Vaccination service, please be careful when selecting from the drop down menus to ensure the correct vaccine is chosen and recorded on VMS.

ACTION

  • If you are administering any vaccinations during a time, please record these on paper vaccination record forms, in the interim so that you can enter into VMS afterwards.
  • Please do not hesitate to contact your Local Integrated Care Offices or the CPNI office should you require any further information.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
Further to my update on 24 December 2021 I write to provide you with a further short update on the progress of discussions with DoH(NI) and HSCB in relation to MDS and Adherence services.

You will be aware that discussions before the Christmas and New Year holiday period did not result in a resolution to the ongoing issues with community pharmacy adherence and MDS services. Contractors decided they would no longer take on new patients for MDS or adherence services from 1 December 2021. That remains the case, although I wish to advise that progressive discussions with DoH and HSCB have intensified throughout January and we expect those to continue. The discussions will also involve a meeting with the Minister Mr Robin Swann, who we anticipate will recognise the progress that has been made in the negotiations and the urgent need for the investment to underpin commissioned adherence support services through community pharmacy.

CPNI Board reviewed progress of the negotiations at the meeting of Directors, held on Thursday 13 January 2022, and agreed that further time was needed to reach a resolution.

As matters sit, whilst progress has been made in the discussions and negotiations with HSCB and DoH, the circumstances remain that led to the Contractor decision on 16 November 2021 to no longer provide adherence support to new patients from 1 December 2021.

I acknowledge that Contractors will have expected a resolution to have been reached and CPNI is aiming to resolve matters in a way that provides sustainable funding and resources for you and your teams going forward. The unrelenting pressures being faced by the community pharmacy sector are such that a longer term solution, as well as immediate relief, is required and CPNI is committed to achieving this.

A contractor meeting will be held as soon as we are in a position to update Contractors further, but be assured this is the priority issue for CPNI at present.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or any CPNI Director should you require any further information.
 

Kind regards,

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is SIGNATURE-Chief-Executive-Gerard-F-Greene.jpg
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.

BSO ALERTS 

CPNI ALERTS 

HSCB ALERTS 

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

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF 
DR. GARETH C. GILVARY
Governance & Support Pharmacist