Archives: Contractor Email

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

SUMMARY

  • If there are challenges in respect of opening/service provision, contractors should notify local HSCB offices at the earliest opportunity using the phone numbers / e-mail addresses as detailed HERE. The checklist issued HERE may be helpful.
  • For the period up to 31 March 2022, HSCB confirms that lunchtime closing of up to 1 hour will be allowed to facilitate staff breaks, restocking and cleaning. Similarly, pharmacies may wish to consider a later opening time of 10am.
  • For January to March 2022, where there are significant staff/workload issues, pharmacists may again use their professional discretion in exceptional circumstances to suspend instalment dispensing but please note the following:
    • Instalment directions must be observed and adhered to if contained within prescriptions for Schedule 2 or 3 Controlled Drugs.
    • The prescriber is informed of any proposed temporary variation or changes to instalments supplied; use of the instalment dispensing communication pro-forma may facilitate the communication of any agreed changes.
    • The prescriber is informed when the supply reverts to normal arrangements in line with the prescription directions.
    • A record is made in the patient’s Patient Medication Record.
  • Additional funding is available to the network to support additional staff costs from January – March 2022 HERE.

ACTION

  • 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
As we move into 2022, following the conclusion of the 2021 12-month derogation period for medicines in relation to EU Exit, there is the potential for supply of medicines to pharmacies in Northern Ireland being reduced and medicine price increases over the coming weeks and months. CPNI continues to liaise with Department of Health (NI), HSCB and supply chain stakeholders in relation to emerging supply challenges and accordingly it is vital that contractors continue to report all instances of medicines shortages, supplier issues and price increases to CPNI.

Contractors and pharmacy team members are encouraged to engage with CPNI in relation to any reports of medicines shortages, supply issues and pricing issues by reporting via the CPNI Medicines Shortage Reporter, or directly to CPNI offices on 028 9069 0444. The CPNI team can then build an evidence base of issues affecting community pharmacies and ultimately patients enabling CPNI to liaise accordingly with the Department of Health (NI) and HSCB.

I would ask that you bring this to the attention of the pharmacy team members involved in the ordering and purchasing of medicines for your pharmacy(-ies).

Thank you for your assistance and support in relation to this important issue.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE

Chief Executive
Dear Colleague
The third update concessionary prices were granted for January 2022:
DrugPack SizeConcessionary Price
Amisulpride 100mg tablets60£4.90
Amisulpride 200mg tablets60£6.15
Amisulpride 50mg tablets60£2.99
Calcium and Ergocalciferol tablets28£35.52
Clomipramine 10mg capsules28£2.32
Clomipramine 25mg capsules28£4.80
Clomipramine 50mg capsules28£14.49
Cyclizine 50mg/1ml solution for injection ampoules5£6.85
Dosulepin 75mg tablets28£11.20
Lamotrigine 5mg dispersible tablets sugar free28£8.43
Liothyronine 10microgram tablets28£150.05
Mirtazapine 15mg/ml oral solution sugar free66£97.89
Omeprazole 10mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free75£106.46
Omeprazole 20mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free75£206.00
Promazine 25mg/5ml oral solution150£60.19
Ropinirole 2mg tablets28£19.00
Simvastatin 20mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free150£173.89
Sulfasalazine 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free500£94.22
Tamoxifen 10mg/5ml oral solution sugar free150£74.52
Tolbutamide 500mg tablets28£25.30
Valsartan 40mg capsules28£2.95
Valsartan 80mg capsules28£4.68
Warfarin 1mg/ml oral suspension sugar free150£156.07

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
Dear Colleague
Please find below a reminder of grant funding allocation deadlines.

ADDITIONAL STAFF COSTS

CPNI CU#220104A: Grant Funding Allocation – Additional Staff Costs January To March 2022

  • £3,000 per community pharmacy available to support additional staff costs.
  • Please return the completed declaration form by email to your local HSCB office by Friday 28 January 2022.

VACCINATION FRIDGE DATA LOGGER

  • In order to support the monitoring of cold chain storage, grant funding of £100 is available for each community pharmacy to purchase 2 data loggers for their Vaccination fridges.
  • Information regarding grant funding available to support the purchase of data loggers by community pharmacies has can be found HERE. 

Please note that the closing date for return of grant funding allocation claims is Friday 28 January 2022.

SECURITY FUNDING

CPNI CU#220112A: Community Pharmacy Security Funding ReminderFunding up to a maximum of £4,000 (excluding VAT) is available for each community pharmacy (that did not avail of funding in 2019-20 or 2020-21), for reimbursement of costs associated with purchasing security equipment.If you wish to avail of funding, please complete the claim form and submit original receipted invoices dated prior to 31 January 2022 along with the completed security self-assessment form.Pharmacies must ensure that all items of equipment/changes are in place prior to Monday 31 January 2022.
For all service related deadlines and information, please see the contractor calendar here which is updated continually throughout each month.

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

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive