Archives: Contractor Email

For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Pharmacy First Service for Uncomplicated UTIs
Dear Contractor
  • SPPG have issued correspondence on 3 April 2025 relating to the Pharmacy First Service for Uncomplicated UTIs.
  • The current PGDs for use in the delivery of the Pharmacy First UTI Service will expire on 30 April 2025.
  • Updated PGDs for nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim are now available on the BSO website here.
  • Service providers must use the most up-to-date version of the PGDs:
    • The updated PGDs need to be organisationally signed and signed by individual pharmacists who are delivering the service via PGD.
    • Previous printed versions should be destroyed.

Contractors are asked to share this information with all members of the pharmacy team.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Spring 2025 COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service 
Dear Contractor
  • SPPG have issued correspondence on 3 April 2025 relating to the COVID-19 Spring 2025 Vaccination Programme.
  • The Patient Group Direction (PGD) for the Spring 2025 COVID-19 vaccine has been uploaded onto the BSO website.
  • Contractors are asked to share this information with all relevant staff members.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor

Correspondence has been issued by SPPG on 3 April 2025 regarding the Community Pharmacy Stop Smoking Service.

SUMMARY

  • The service contract has been revised and all service providers are required to submit acceptance of the new contract for the service from 1 April 2025 via MS forms using the following link.
  • SPPG have requested the contract to be returned by 15 April 2025.
  • If a contractor does not currently provide the Stop Smoking Service but wishes to do so, they are requested to contact the PHA for more information.
  • The service specification, quality standards, and other relevant information can be found on the BSO website.
  • The contractor must ensure all staff are trained and competent to deliver the service in line with the service specification, and must ensure they adhere to Appendix A: Capacities and responsibilities in respect of the processing of personal data.
  • The service is available for the whole population, with a particular focus on three priority groups as set out in the DoH ‘Ten year tobacco control strategy for Northern Ireland‘:
    • Children and young people
    • Pregnant women and their partners who smoke
    • Disadvantaged people.
  • Please note, support for vapers who wish to stop is not part of the service specification but is currently under review.
  • The Elite system is the main data collection tool for the community pharmacy Stop Smoking Service and it is essential that all clients accessing the service are recorded.
    • The required monitoring information for each patient should be recorded on Elite in a timely manner.
  • The fees paid for service provision are processed by BSO based on entry of a patient record on to the Elite system.
  • NRT can only be provided on a pharmacy voucher (PV1) for patients enrolled in the service and recorded on to Elite.
    • An assurance exercise in 2024 identified some pharmacy voucher claims for patients who were not recorded on the Elite system.
    • Follow-up with the affected pharmacies will occur over the coming weeks.
  • There are no reimbursement arrangements in place for NRT supplied on a HS21 by IP pharmacists through the Stop Smoking Service as this is not included in the service specification currently.

ACTION

Contractors are asked to:

  • Review the SPPG correspondence issued on 3 April 2025 regarding the Stop Smoking Service and share with all relevant members of the pharmacy team.
  • Return a contract to SPPG by 15 April 2025.

If you have any queries in relation to this correspondence, please contact PHATobaccoAdmin@hscni.net.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Further to the CPNI update on Experiential Learning (EL) which issued on 14 March 2025, contractors are reminded that there is still time to complete the CPNI EL survey.  The survey is open until 16 April 2025.

SUMMARY

  • The CPNI EL survey provides contractors with an opportunity to give their views on what is working well with EL in community pharmacy, and what improvements may be helpful.
  • NICPLD has indicated that EL feedback will be used to inform a review of the programme and the development of an ongoing EL strategy.

ACTION

Contractors are advised to:

EL queries can be sent to the NICPLD programme lead Helen Hirst by emailing h.hirst@qub.ac.uk.  Alternatively, should you wish to speak to a member of the CPNI team please feel free to email Ennis.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
CPNI issued contractor updates on 10 March 2025 and 24 March 2025 regarding an NICPLD pilot to support community pharmacist access to Independent Prescriber (IP) training.  The closing date for community pharmacist IP applications is 15 April 2025.

SUMMARY

  • In recognition of the difficulties faced by community pharmacists in securing a DPP, an NICPLD pilot is underway in which funding of £1500 is available for up to 50 eligible DPPs who agree to support a community pharmacist.
  • Information on the pilot is available here and on the NICPLD IP webpage.
  • Community pharmacists who wish to apply for the NICPLD Independent Prescribing (IP) course can submit applications up to 15 April 2025.
  • Note: NICPLD has indicated that there are still spaces available for community pharmacists on the IP course and they have a list of DPPs who are willing to support a community pharmacist trainee under the pilot scheme. 
  • Community pharmacists who have organised their own DPP (as opposed to being matched by NICPLD) can also access the funding for their DPP.
  • The pilot funding will only be available for those commencing training in August 2025.
  • A recorded webinar for prospective applicants or DPPs is available on request from nicpld-prescribing@qub.ac.uk.

ACTION

  • Contractors are asked to note the information provided above and share with relevant members of the team, including any community pharmacists considering IP training, and any existing community pharmacist IPs who may consider acting as a DPP under the support scheme.
  • Please note that CPNI has been advised that the DPP funding is available for this year only.

Queries on the DPP support scheme can be sent to nicpld-prescribing@qub.ac.uk. Alternatively, please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI team or email Ennis.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive
Dear Contractor
Further to the CPNI update on FTY 2026/2027 which issued on 25 March 2025, contractors will be aware that the Department of Health led Task and Finish group will host a webinar for prospective FTY employers from 7-8pm on 8 April 2025, and registration is available here.

SUMMARY

  • The CPNI update on FTY 2026/2027 includes NICPLD correspondence outlining the joint selection, recruitment and allocation process, and an information video.
  • Contractors will note that within the joint selection, recruitment and allocation process, trainees who are successful in the multi-mini interview process will be allocated to community pharmacy and hospital placements. Community pharmacies will no longer be able to select their chosen trainee.
  • Community pharmacies will be invited to “opt-in” to the FTY 2026/27 process between 9 – 25 April 2025.
  • As contractors will be required to agree to a terms of participation agreement for the FTY programme, they may wish to review the terms of participation and seek legal and/or HR advice prior to “opting-in”.
  • NICPLD has indicated that employers can ask questions during the webinar, or can send queries in advance to nicpld-fty@qub.ac.uk.

ACTION

  • Contractors considering involvement in FTY 2026/2027 are advised to review the CPNI update on FTY 2026/2027 and consider attending the webinar on 8 April 2025.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the CPNI team or email Ennis.

Kind regards

SENT ON BEHALF OF
GERARD GREENE
Chief Executive