Category: Services

South Tyneside Sexual Health Review - Patient Questionaires

14/8/2014

South Tyneside Council Public Health are running a sexual health services review. As part of that review they would like to survey all patients who access the service. The council are hoping to drop off some questionnaires in each pharmacy to use and then will return to pick them up for analysis. In the mean time as the review has started already they have asked if pharmacies can download the questionnaire below, print some off off an start to use them straight away until they deliver their hard copies.

Active Intervention Smoking Service - Gateshead Opportunity.

31/7/2014

The QE Hospital are looking for an Active Intervention provider in Gateshead to offer stop smoking support sessions for staff at the hospital. They are offering a free room and publicity to staff at the site. An advert on the Call It Quits website has been put up and you should take a look at it if you are interested.

Any further queries should be directed to Natalie Goodman (Public Health Programme Lead).
She can be contacted as follows: Email: NatalieGoodman@Gateshead.Gov.UK.,
Tel: 0191 433 2421, Mobile: 07584 206582

NECS Payments for MAS and MAR Charts

28/7/2014

Following lengthy discussions the LPC has had with NECS finance, See previous news article. we have received assurances that pharmacies are being paid for these outstanding amounts (with the additional 8% compensation agreed). Please could any contractors who are still awaiting payments contact the LPC asap (via the secretary Louise.Lydon@gandstlpc.net) who will contact Chris Sharpe and team at NECS to ensure payments are processed.

Smoking Resources for Pharmacy - E-Cigarettes

27/7/2014

Johnson & Johnson have recently presented to the LPC about smoking and E-cigartettes. They presented evidence that shows 71% of people who use e-cigarettes products are attempting to quit smoking, but 2/3 of users stop within a month and return to smoking...perhaps because they don't deliver nicotine at the same rate as cigarettes? So, if many vaping individuals are giving up vaping, are e-cigarette users an opportunity for Pharmacy?

They have put together a poster and a flow chart to help pharmacy staff deal with requests for e cigarettes. If any one would like to receive these materials in your pharmacy, or know more about other Smoking Cessation related resources that Johnson & Johnson have to offer, please can they contact Genevieve Wilson at Johnson & Johnson on 07800 708 038 or email genevieve.wilson@apodi.co.uk.

Our Chairman has written an interesting blog about e-cigarettes make sure you have a look.

Northern Pharmacy Website launched for Flu information including training & Stock

11/7/2014

Further to our previous correspondence about the pharmacy flu service for 2014-15 we have started to compile information on a regional LPC Flu webpage. NorthernPharmacy.net

It is the same web page used last year and can be found by clicking here

As information and resources become available we will update this page and let you know via the LPC News feed/ email.

Please keep an eye on this page.

Currently we have released information regarding training, stock and PharmOutcomes. You can access these by clinking the links on the homepage.

Training

As in previous years the LPC has worked with Novartis Vaccines to commission training for pharmacists. There are 2 types of training live training and online only training. Please visit the training page and read carefully the eligibility criteria to ensure you book yourself on the relevant training

If you have your own in house training or have trained with another training provider this will be accepted for the NHS Flu service.

Stock

The NHS flu service will not dictate which vaccine to be used so you are free to procure your own vaccines.

Novartis Vaccines have confirmed that they will be ring fencing vaccine for Pharmacy this year and in order to ensure efficient supply and delivery they have put a process in place which you may wish to use.

This process will involve them delivering direct to pharmacies. Full details of the process including the forms you must fill in are available on the stock page of the Northern Pharmacy website. In order to guarantee you receive stock in their first deliveries you will need to fill in the paper work and return in to Novartis by 31st July 2014.

PharmaOutcomes

The flu service will use PharmOutcomes for administration. Please make sure you visit the Pharmoutcomes link on the Northern Pharmacy webpage so you understand the process that will be used and make sure you are able to access Pharmacoutcomes at your pharmacy.

Opportunity

This is the first year we have been given the commitment that that the service is being commissioned as early as this and the LPC would encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and start preparing NOW. Ensure your pharmacists are trained and ensure your stock supplies are arranged.

The service is likely to be commissioned from September onwards and the SLA’s PGD, will arrive shortly however it is really important you act now.

The LPC (and the commissioner) would like to see the service offered from every pharmacy in our area so we would encourage contractors to prepare from now.

If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact Sami Hanna our flu lead.

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.

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

Pharmacy Needle Exchange Provision in South Tyneside - Expression of Interest -

10/6/2014

As part of the restructuring of substance misuse services undertaken by Public Healthin South Tyneside, on 1st April 2014, NECA became the responsible agency for managing and co-ordinating the Needle Exchange contracts issued to pharmacies across South Tyneside.

Historically the contracts had been issued as part of the NHS, however as part of the transfer of public health functions contractual arrangements transferred across to the Local Authority. Andrea Mulligan – Project Manager/Strategic Lead in Harm Minimisation for NECA’s Harm Reduction Service (STEP) in South Tyneside is the nominated Pharmacy Co-ordinator for needle exchange delivery in the borough.

Part of Andrea’s responsibility is to review the current provision and ensure that the NICE PH52 guidance around Needle and Syringe Programme Provision’s recommendations are embedded across the area. This includes conducting a mapping exercise to ensure the maximum coverage for injecting drug users (including Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs). NECA would like to hear from any pharmacies in South Tyneside who would be interested in providing a needle exchange service. Those expressing an interest will not be guaranteed a contract as this will depend on local need following the results from the mapping exercise. However those who are selected will benefit from full training, a quarterly retainer and regular, ongoing support. Please contact Andrea directly on (0191) 2758000 or andrea.mulligan@neca.co.uk for further information.

To log an expression of Interest Click Here

South Tyneside Sexual Health Services Review - Pharmacies in ST required to fill in survey.

9/6/2014

South Tyneside Council Public Health are running a sexual health services review. As part of that review they would like to survey all pharmacies in South Tyneside who provide EHC.

Click Here to access the survey which will only take a a few moments.
The deadline for this survey is 18th June 2014. at 4pm.

The LPC requests all pharmacies in South Tynesde fill this in asap.