Autumn 2024/25 Community Pharmacy Flu Vaccination Programme
REMINDER:
The Autumn 2024/25 Flu vaccination programme is coming to an end on Monday 31 March 2025.
Providers are requested to not vaccinate eligible cohorts after this date.
Please share this information with all relevant staff to allow adequate time for clinic arrangements and stock management.
Collaborative Forum for Community Pharmacy ECHO Network
An ECHO session is being held on Tuesday 01 April 2025 to discuss Public Health Community Pharmacy Services. Further information can be found here.
Topic: Update on Public Health Community Pharmacy Services covering Living Well, Stop Smoking and Harm Reduction Services (OST, Needle and Syringe Exchange)
Join via Audio only: 020 3695 0088 and follow the instructions
Pharmacy Student Research
CPNI has been contacted by a final year pharmacy student undertaking research on community pharmacist workforce retention.
The student requires input from a range of community pharmacists participants and would be grateful for any support provided. Further information and contact details for those who wish to be involved are available in the research flyer.
Inquiry into Access to GPs in Northern Ireland
The Public Accounts Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland. Members of the public can find out more about the inquiry here – Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland. An online survey to gather views will remain open until 27 March 2025.
For the attention of all community pharmacies who are contracted to provide the Pharmacy First Sore Throat Service Winter 24/25
Dear Contractor
SPPG have issued correspondence on 20 March 2025 regarding the Pharmacy First Sore Throat Service Winter 2024/25.
SPPG have confirmed that the service will be extended for a further two months until 31 May 2025.
Pharmacies may wish to continue to promote the service on social media platforms using the resources available on the BSO website.
Please contact your Pharmacy Advisor at SPPG offices if you have any further queries.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
**FAO LIVING WELL PHARMACIES ONLY**
Dear Contractor
SPPG have issued correspondence on 20 March 2025 regarding the Living Well Service.
SUMMARY
The first campaign of 25/26 ‘Be Cancer Aware’ will commence on 01 April 2025. The campaign aims to promote early cancer diagnosis by raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer, and will promote healthy changes to help reduce risk.
Resources will be provided by 24 March 2025 and as per the service specification, posters should be displayed in at least one window of the pharmacy.
If resources are not received by 24 March 2025, email reception.pha@hscni.net and ensure the email subject is titled ‘LIVNG WELL PHARMACY CAMPAIGN’. Failure to report this by 7 April 2025 will result in no resources being provided.
PHA will release social media posts to support the campaign which can be shared on social media channels. Resources are also available to download on the BSO website.
Training resources will be detailed in the campaign briefing.
A requirement for the Living Well service is to complete an online survey for each campaign. Further information on this can be found in the letter.
The survey opening and closing dates have been added to the BSO 2025 calendar provided to all contractors.
The final campaign for 24/25 ‘Look after your mental health’ will finish on 31 March 2025. The survey will open on 31 March 2025 at 9am, and close on 28 April 2025 at 6pm.
ACTION
Contractors are asked to read the correspondence issued by SPPG on 20 March 2025 regarding the Living Well Service and share with all relevant members of the team.
Please contact CPNI offices if you have any questions in relation to this correspondence.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
Reminder:Those community pharmacies who are yet to complete the CPAF declaration form for 24/25, can do so using the following link. If any contractors are unsure if they have submitted a declaration, please contact Tom Coyle at SPPG for clarification to avoid duplication.
Dear Colleague,
SPPG have issued correspondence regarding the Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework on 27 February 2025.
SUMMARY
SPPG is seeking completion of the Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework (CPAF) declaration form for your pharmacy, for the 2024/25 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.
SPPG has recently worked with CPNI to review, update and agree the Assurance framework for the 2024/25 year.
The declaration form is now to be completed by Monday10 March 2025 on MS forms using the following link here.
A payment of £1200 will be made to each pharmacy, upon return of the completed declaration for compliance with the CPAF process in 2024/25.
Last year community pharmacies will have submitted a copy of their practice leaflet and complaints procedure alongside their CPAF declaration for 2023/24. If either of these has changed since last year’s submission, SPPG have requested a copy to be emailed to your local Primary Care Office by 31 March 2025.
The resumed CPAF visits will continue as per the SPPG process, and pharmacies will be contacted directly if selected for a visit.
ACTION
Contractors are asked to review the correspondence issued by SPPG on 27 February 2025 and share with all relevant team members.
Please contact your Pharmacy Advisor at local offices for any queries regarding this correspondence.
Kind regards
SENT ON BEHALF OF GERARD GREENE Chief Executive
For the attention of Community Pharmacies providing the Spring 2024 COVID-19 Community Pharmacy Vaccination Service
Dear Contractor
SPPG have issued correspondence on 19 March 2025 relating to the COVID-19 Spring 2025 Vaccination Programme.
SUMMARY
Community pharmacies who are intending to provide the Spring 2025 COVID-19 vaccine to care homes are requested to complete the online pairing survey by Friday 21 March 2025 if they haven’t already done so.
Any outstanding COVID-CPVS contracts should be submitted by Monday 31 March 2025.
Community pharmacies are requested to conduct a test of VMS before the start of the Spring vaccination programme to ensure there are no issues with access and the system is fully operational.
In relation to VMS accounts:
Primary VMS account:
The password for VMS is the same as the password for the Portal. Changing the password for the Portal will also change the password to VMS.
Second VMS account:
All users have been provided with a second VMS login at the time of the account setup. This password is detailed in the original email that provided the VMS login details and cannot be changed. Please contact Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net if you have any issues with accessing this account.
Multifactor Authentication (MFA)-on first login there will be a prompt to set up MFA, this can be a different device to that used to authenticate the primary account.
The second account increases access options for VMS meaning two users can access VMS simultaneously which is useful for offsite recording. With two MFA methods, access is not reliant on the availability of a single device.
If there are any issues with accessing VMS, a summary can be emailed to Grainne.McMahon4@hscni.net with a screen shot of the error message.
With regards to the ordering of vaccines from Movianto:
Orders can be placed with Movianto from 31 March 2025.
Turnaround will initially be up to 5 working days for delivery.
Orders should not exceed the quantity required to cover 2 weeks of activity.
Pharmacies not paired with a care home(s) will have a quota set to one box (60 doses).
SPS have produced an SOP that describes the correct use of cool boxes to transport vaccines to other locations (e.g. care homes). This includes validation of a medical grade cool box using a thermometer.
ACTION
Contractors should review the correspondence issued on 19 March 2025 and share this information with relevant members of the pharmacy team.
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