Blog Archives

Updated Minor Ailments Claim forms now available.

26/6/2014

Further to our communications regarding the minor ailments claims.
We have now added the updated claim form for future cliams to the LPC website.

It can be accessed by clicking here or by clicking the red button on the home page.
The form can be downloaded and used for new claims from May 2014.

Pharmacies Should Check their T28 Exemptions for Medicine Waste

23/6/2014

The LPC would like to reminder contractors of their duties with regards to disposal of unwanted medicines with particular regard to Environmental Agency T28 Exemptions.

It has been 3 years since pharmacies needed to apply for a T28 Exemption and as the certificate only lasts for 3 years It may be prudent to check your exemption and make sure you re-apply if need be. We understand that the environmental agency only send out one reminder out so could easily get missed.

The PSNC have a very useful resource page which contains information to help make sure you are compliant with the Essential Service specification of Disposal of Unwanted Medicine as well as compliance with current legislation. There are also some useful FAQ's, resources and links to gov.uk and the environmental agencies for registration of your exemption.

This page can be accessed by clicking here and is worth a review to ensure you are fully compliant.

LPC Survey into MDS in the community

20/6/2014

The LPC are running a short survey on MDS medication boxes. We are wanting to gauge the number of patients that use MDS and whre they were originally initiated.

The survey is anonymous and is very short and can be accessed by clicking here.
The LPC would appreciate your assistance in gathering this information.

PLEASE NOTE THE SURVEY IS ABOUT MDS IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT MDS IN HOMES.

Green Bag Campaign - Obtaining More Green Bags

20/6/2014

You will have recently been sent out a communication from NECS about a Green bag campaign. The campaign was part of My Medicines, My Health initiative and aims to encourage patients, in particular those over 60 years of age with a long term condition, to store all their medicines together- in the Green Medicine Bag

Pharmacies will have received a resource pack containing leaflets, posters and a small quantity of Green Medicine Bags.

When questioned about obtaining more Green Bags NECS told us that that Pharmacies would need to buy them in.

South Tyneside hospital have purchased a large quantity of these bags and are happy to supply them to pharmacies in smaller quantities of 100 bags at heir cost price of £21.10

If you would like to purchase some of these bags you need to send a member of staff or delivery driver to the pharmacy at South Tyneside hospital where they will supply you. The hospital can only accept cash and do not have a facility to take orders or post out.

South Tyneside CCG Holding Public Consultation on Urgent Care

19/6/2014

South Tyneside CCG have asked us to let pharmacy contractors in South Tyneside know about an Urgent Care Public Consultation which has now commenced. The consultation is looking at how the access and treatment for local people can be significantly improved by the creation of a new urgent care ‘one stop shop’ at South Tyneside General Hospital.

The CCG are holding the public consultation over the next 12 weeks and are asking for views on a range of proposals that will help local healthcare professionals provide the best possible care for patients with an urgent care need.

You can find further details of the consultation including details of all the public meetings by clicking here:

Community Pharmacy Flu Service to be commissioned in 2014/15

19/6/2014

The LPC is delighted to announce that the CNTW (Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear) directorate of commissioning plan to commission pharmacists in the region to deliver the adult seasonal flu programme again in 2014/15.

This will build on the excellent work last year when 49% of the pharmacies in CNTW delivered 15,603 seasonal flu immunisations – a 95% increase on performance in 2012/13.
Overall the a total of 400,000 flu immunisations were delivered in CNTW in 13/14.

Claire Bradford, Head of Public Health, CNTW Area Team said "We hope that we can build on the excellent work from last year. We want to focus on increasing the uptake in the under 65 at risk groups and pregnant women. Last year across CNTW the overall uptake in under 65s at risk was 56.4% and pregnant women 42.2%. Whilst we have good uptake in the over 65 year age group (75.7%) we need to reach many more of the under 65s at risk and pregnant women. We think that pharmacies are well placed to increase uptake in these groups. Flu immunisation of pregnant women : reduces rates of influenza among pregnant women; may reduce the likelihood of prematurity and smaller infant weight at birth; provides passive immunity against flu to infants in the first few months of life."

The LPC are working with the area team on the detail of the service and will make this available as soon as we can in the meantime we would like to take this opportunity to encourage ALL pharmacies to consider offering the service this year and start their preparations from now.

Dave Carter, Chairman of Gateshead & South Tyneside LPC Said "This is a fantastic opportunity for Community Pharmacy and we would like to see all pharmacies in the area signed up to the service and help to make an impact on the uptake to immunisations."

Below is some information for you start preparing for this years service. Should you have any queries please don't hesitate to get in touch me.

Thanks
Sami

Training
If you have access to flu training (In house or via a training organisation) please make sure you get yourself trained or registered for training as soon as you can. The LPC will be working with Novartis again this year to offer training. Details for this will follow shortly.

Stock
We would also encourage you make arrangements from now to ensure you have adequate stocks of Vaccine.

PharmOutcomes
Make sure you have got access to PharmOutcomes.

Current Flu Information
Below are some flu related links for your information.
The national DH flu guidance/letter is now available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/316007/FluImmunisationLetter2014_accessible.pdf
The at risk groups this year include people with learning disabilities. This week’s vaccine update includes link to posters which can be used
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/320026/8905_PHE_VU_216_June2014_07.pdf

Clarification on Gateshead Councils Letter to Pharmacies regarding Public Health Review

18/6/2014

Following Gateshead Councils letter to pharmacies regarding its public health service review the LPC was contacted by pharmacies worried about current pharmacy services.

The LPC have spoken with director of public health and she has asked us to send the following letter to pharmacies.

As you will see in the letter below the director of public health and commissioning manager will be attending our next LPC meeting where we will seek further clarity. Should you have any queries about this issue please contact us.

Dear Colleague

I’m writing to clarify some issues and concerns that have been raised via the LPC following the letter from Public Health dated 3rd April 2014

Firstly can I apologise for any confusion and concern because the letter does not explain specifically that we are not moving away from elements of services we currently commission via pharmacies with regard to the programmes mentioned: Substance misuse, active intervention stop smoking and sexual health.

I would like to reassure Pharmacy providers that services that are currently contracted by Public Health Gateshead Council will be continued. However, should you wish to view the tender documents when they are published you may register by visiting the website www.neportal.org where instructions on how to register are given.

Carole Wood and Cath Scott will be available to answer questions at the next LPC meeting (Thursday 17th July) to clarify what this means for community pharmacy.

Catherine Scott
Joint Commissioning Manager
Public Health
Gateshead Council
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH

Tel: 0191 4332872

Email: catherinescott@gateshead.gov.uk

First Contact Clinical - Letter about Patient Survey

11/6/2014

First Contact Clinical have asked the LPC to distribute the following letter about a patient survey to pharmacies in South Tyneside
Please click below to access the letter and survey.

Controlled Drugs Prescriptions - Tramadol - Dealing with Technical Errors

11/6/2014

Following yesterdays change in laws in Controlled drugs such as Tramadol. (Click Here for earlier emails)

We have been advised that some GP’s Practices are getting tramadol Rxs sent back where they were printed without the the quantity in words. This is apparently has occurred due to their computer not being updated in time.

We would like to remind Pharmacists that under current CD regulations pharmacists can add the quantity in words if they are missing.

For further clarification on this please see the excerpts from the MEP and the BNF below.

BNF
"A pharmacist is not allowed to dispense a Controlled Drug unless all the information required by law is given on the prescription. In the case of a prescription for a Controlled Drug in Schedule 2 or 3, a pharmacist can amend the prescription if it specifies the total quantity only in words or in figures or if it contains minor typographical errors, provided that such amendments are indelible and clearly attributable to the pharmacist. Failure to comply with the regulations concerning the writing of prescriptions will result in inconvenience to patients and delay in supplying the necessary medicine."

MEP - CD Technical errors
Where a prescription for a schedule 2 or 3 controlled drug contains a minor typographical error or spelling mistake, or where either the words or figures (but not both) of the total quantity has been omitted, a pharmacist can amend the prescription indelibly so that it becomes compliant with legislation.

The pharmacist needs to have exercised due diligence, be satisfied that the prescription is genuine and that the supply is in accordance with the intention of the prescriber. The prescription should also be marked to show that the amendments are attributable to the pharmacist (e.g. name, date, signature and GPhC registration number).

Pharmacists cannot correct other amendments or omissions (e.g. missing date, incorrect dose, form or strength). These should be corrected by the original prescriber or, in an emergency, another prescriber authorised to prescribe controlled drugs. Amendments cannot be made by covering letter from the prescriber.

Event: - Mental Capacity Act - Free One Day Course - 2nd October 2014

10/6/2014

The LPC has been asked to advertise the following event below to Pharmacists in Gateshead and Newcastle CCG area.
If you are interested please follow the details in the flyer.

Any queries about this event should be directed to Stephen Down of the Newcastle Gateshead CCG Alliance. Contact details below.