CCGs across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, Darlington and Teesside have developed a new winter campaign
which focuses on self-care and the main winter respiratory illnesses that can be looked after at home or with advice from a pharmacist

It uses the key message ‘keep calm and look after yourself’ and incorporates messages about discouraging people from using antibiotics.  The campaign will Coincides with national Self Care week and European Antibiotic Awareness Day and will include media and press activity including 

• Printed materials - Displays, Sticker, leaflet, posters, GP Non Antibiotic Prescription Pads
• Social media. – @keepcalmne (please follow!)      #keepcalmne (please use!)
  
• Website -  www.keepcalmthiswinter.org.uk
• TV adverts on Tyne Tees,
• Radio adverts on regional stations, 
• Street activity 
• Outdoor advertising e.g. bus shelters.
  

The aim of the campaign is to provide clear information to the public around the best use of local NHS services this winter – specifically for self-care, community pharmacy and antibiotics use

Pharmacies will be receiving a support pack to help them to promote the message.

This is a great opportunity for pharmacy.  Please watch the advert above and look out for the support pack and  use it to promote this message in your pharmacies.

Below are some examples of the posters being used.

A flu update has been posted which contains information for those providing flu and covers

• Service Evaluation 
• Reports
• Private Vaccinations
• Hard to Reach - At Risk Groups   

If you offer NHS Flu service please make sure you read it by clicking here.

As part of the countermeasures initiative the NHS Area Team is looking for expressions of interest from Community Pharmacy. 

The scheme would include distribution of antivirals in the event of an outbreak, which in the past has included Swine Flu etc; Potassium Iodates (nuclear related disasters) and any other product deemed appropriate for epidemic or pandemic outbreaks of illness. 
To find out more and register your interest please CLICK HERE.

This service will potentially attract a set up fee and retainer fee requiring an on-call nominated pharmacist and team members but the specifics of this are not yet determined.

This service will be offered on a locality need basis following interested Pharmacies being identified.

The Department of Health has granted the following price concessions for November 2013.  

For more information on NCSO and Concessionary pricing please visit the psnc webpage.

• Co-amoxiclav 250/125 tablets (21) – £3.77
• Co-amoxiclav 500/125 tablets (21) – £7.20
• Gabapentin 100mg capsules (100) – £6.00 (new)
• Gabapentin 300mg capsules (100) – £12.00 (new)
• Propranolol 10mg tablets (28) – £3.64
• Propranolol 40mg tablets (28) – £3.51
• Trazodone 50mg capsules (84) – £24.97 (new)
• Trazodone 100mg capsules (56) – £28.14
• Trazodone 150mg tablets (28) – £17.44

No endorsement is required as these prices will automatically be applied to prescriptions submitted in the November bundle. 

McNeil are running a series of meetings in the North East and would like to invite pharmacists & their staff to  to attend.   

 The meetings are being held during November, December and January  by  McNeil and involve  4 different speakers all talking around the area of Tobacco Dependence and Smoking Cessation. 

If you are interested in finding out more please click here to download the information and the proforma that needs to be completed in order to attend.

Please find below a  flyer about a training event open to Pharmacists in South Tyneside area.

If you are interested in attending please Washington Mind on (0191) 417 8043 or email: training@washingtonmind.org.uk

Despite assurances that there was sufficient stock of Jext autoinjectors, there is now a supply shortage. The alert below  has been provided by the medicines optimisation team to deal with this short term problem. 

ALERT
November 2013
 
Jext® 300microgram Adrenaline Auto-injector
 
Background:
 
ALK-Abelló Ltd have made us aware aware of a shortage of Jext 300microgram adrenaline auto-injectors. The shortage may last until mid-December, but will hopefully be resolved sooner.
The shortage has been caused by a much higher than expected prescription rate in the UK in September, coupled with the adoption of Jext in France, to replace Anapen.  In order to maximise shelf-life of the devices in patients’ hands, ALK have minimised stockholding in the UK, so there is very little buffer stock in the supply chain. ALK have assured us that they are making every effort to resolve the issue, and understand the difficulty that this causes at a crucial stage in the roll-out of the change from Epipen to Jext.    
 
Action Required: 
 
GPs should prescribe Epipen in the equivalent dose on a temporary basis only until ALK confirm that stocks are again available.  The patient will then keep the Epipen until expiry and will receive Jext (with training) at the next renewal.
 
Community Pharmacies should request the patients GP prescribes Epipen in the equivalent dose if they are unable to obtain supplies of Jext.
 
It is essential that whichever auto-injector is supplied, device-specific training should be provided. 
 
Further Information:
 
Your practice pharmacist may be able to advise on action for individual patients
Alternatively contact your locality Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist on
 0191 217 2858 or Marie Thompkins NECS MO contact for this initiativemarie.thompkins@nhs.net
 
ALK customer services stock availability: 0118 903 7940.
 
ALK locality contact Shona Hawkins : 07917 631740 

Gateshead Local Authority is undertaking a review of sexual health services in Gateshead to help design future services. A vital part of the review process is the Consultation Phase.

The Consultation consists of 2 separate Questionnaire’s hosted on Gateshead Council’s Portal from 1st November-30th November.  

All the responses from the Questionnaire will be stored securely and treated in the strictest of confidence.

Both Questionnaires can accessed by clicking the links below and entering responses direct.  Alternatively you can download here should you want to use paper based questionnaires.  
Questionaire 1 - Pateints       Questionaire 2 - Staff

The LPC would encourage all Pharmacy contractors who provide Sexual Health Services to take part in the survey and where possible encourage users of their services to feedback also.
 
Details of the Questionaire are as follows.

1) Patients/Service Users of Gateshead Sexual Health Services and Gateshead Residents. 
The Questionnaire can be accessed on ‘Gateshead Council’s Portal’ at www.gateshead.gov.uk/consultation in the current consultation section, under Sexual Heath Review.
 
 2) Staff from Sexual Health Services and Wider Stakeholders 
This Quesitionaire is accessed by clicking here  Gateshead Sexual Health Review
 
Paper copies of the questionnaire’s and free post envelope are available from the council, please contact David Brady on (0191) 433 3147 or Emma Gibson 0191 (433) 2845
 
A ‘Stakeholder Consultation’ event is being held on Thursday 21st November, 10.00-11.30, in the Whickham Room, Gateshead Civic Centre for Staff, Provider Services and Wider Stakeholder to have their say on the future of sexual health services and to share their views on what is working well and any areas for improvement. 

If you would like to attend you must register with Lynne Mcmahon to confirm your place, lynnemcmahon@gateshead.gov.uk (0191) 433 2615. There are limited places for the event. 
 
If you would like any further information about the review, please contact Emma Gibson on 0191 433 2845.