Service Level Agreement
For pharmacy services provided as part of the
Enhanced Service - Minor Ailment Scheme
Between Islington PCT
And ……………………………………………………………. Pharmacist
At …………………………………………………………………. Pharmacy
………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
For the period October 2010 and March 2012
Requirements for service provision
1. The Pharmacy is a registered pharmacy.
2. The pharmacy complies with the standards checklist for registered pharmacy premises.
3. The pharmacist providing the service is registered with the RPSGB and has received training in the operational aspects of the scheme by Islington PCT and will continually complete Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Service Specification
1. Service description
1.1. The pharmacy will provide advice and support to people on the management of minor ailments, including where necessary, the supply of medicines for the treatment of the minor ailment, for those people who would have otherwise gone to their Islington GP for a prescription.
1.2. The scheme is ONLY for patients registered with an Islington GP.
1.3. Where appropriate the pharmacy may sell OTC medicines to the person to help manage the minor ailment.
1.4. The pharmacy will provide advice on the management of the ailment.
1.5. The pharmacy will refer patients back to the GP if necessary.
2. Aims and intended service outcomes
2.1 To improve access and choice for people with minor ailments by:
¨ Promoting self care through the pharmacy, including provision of advice and where appropriate medicines and/or appliances without the need to visit the GP practice;
¨ Operating a referral system from Islington GP practices
¨ Supplying appropriate medicines and devices (dressings etc.) at NHS expense.
2.2 To improve primary care capacity by reducing medical practice workload related to minor ailments.
3. Service outline
3.1 The part of the pharmacy used for provision of the service provides a sufficient level of privacy and safety.
3.2 Pharmacy staff will alert the pharmacist that the patient is presenting a Minor Ailment Scheme registration voucher that can only be dealt with by the pharmacist.
3.3 The pharmacy contractor has a duty to ensure that pharmacists and staff involved in the provision of the service have relevant knowledge and are appropriately trained in the operation of the service in accordance with the Islington PCT protocols.
3.4 Pharmacists providing the service should be aware of the agreed protocols for each minor ailment, the list of medicines that can be supplied under each ailments and the quantity.
3.5 Medicines supplied outside the agreed Islington minor ailment formulary or large quantities supplied will not be reimbursed by the PCT.
3.6 If two conditions can be treated by ONE product then only ONE container/pack of that product can be provided as per the quantity in the formulary.
3.7 The pharmacy should maintain appropriate records to ensure effective ongoing service delivery and audit.
3.8 The voucher is ONLY valid for 3 days from the date of referral from a GP practice.
3.9 The pharmacy will:
- provide advice on the management of the ailment, or;
- provide advice and a medicine from the local formulary, supported by advice on its use, or;
- provide advice on the management of the ailment plus a referral to an appropriate health care professional.
3.10 There will be ONE fee per consultation regardless of the number of Minor Ailments treated.
3.11 If the patient presents with more than TWO ailments the pharmacist must refer patient back to the GP practice.
3.12 The pharmacy will maintain a record of the consultation and any medicine that is supplied on the pink copy of the voucher and file together with input data on the webstar software.
3.13 A copy of the voucher will be sent to the PCT by the 5th working day of the month. Pharmacies will also submit data via the WEBSTAR software system by the 5th working day of the month.
3.14 Information of each consultation should be sent to the relevant GP (yellow copy of the triplicate vouchers should be sent for GP patient records).
3.15 The pharmacy will collect NHS charges where appropriate and declare this on the voucher.
3.16 In the event of an adverse incident or near miss, the pharmacist will complete the Islington PCT Incident Reporting Form for Community Pharmacist and forward a copy to Islington PCT.
3.17 Islington PCT will be responsible for the promotion of the service locally, including the development of publicity materials, which pharmacies can use to promote the service to the public.
3.18 Pharmacists commissioned for the scheme will attend an annual updates/training organised by the PCT.
3.19 If a pharmacist who has undergone the training leaves, the service will be decommissioned unless the incoming pharmacist has undergone equivalent training (i.e. submitted the CPPE certificate to the project facilitator on minor ailments)
3.20 It is up to the pharmacist or pharmacy owner to contact the project facilitator with a month’s notice to inform them of the change in circumstance. The PCT will then authorise whether the incoming pharmacist has training that is sufficient or not.
4. Payment to Community Pharmacists
Remuneration for any pharmacy services and/or reimbursement for medication supplied in relation to this enhanced service will be withheld if this SLA is not signed by both the contractor and NHS Islington. A copy must be held by the contractor and NHS Islington as evidence of a signed agreement between both parties.
4.1. Reimbursement will be dependent on the submission to Islington PCT of a fully completed voucher and declaration completed by the patient together with submission of data on the webstar software.
4.2. If the patient’s symptoms warrant urgent referral back to the GP, the pharmacist will make sure that the practice knows that they have seen the patient (submit the yellow copy of the consultation of the minor ailment scheme triplicate voucher). This could be followed up by a telephone call.
4.3. Vouchers and submission of data to WEBSTAR must be completed within 2 months to ensure payment. Late submission will not be authorised unless in extreme circumstances (determined by the project facilitator).
4.4. It is the responsibility of the pharmacist to ensure that he/she does not process any minor ailment vouchers from any other PCT in error.
5. Quality Indicators for Performance Management
5.1. The pharmacy is making full use of the promotional material made available for the service by Islington PCT.
5.2. The pharmacy will have in place standard operating procedure (SOPs) for the provision of minor ailment service.
5.3. All staff involved in providing this service should sign all SOPs. RPSGB guidance on SOPs states that if unchanged they should be reviewed every 2 years and amendments should be made accordingly.
5.4. The pharmacy reviews its standard operating procedures and the referral pathways for the service on an annual basis.
5.5. The pharmacy participates in an annual Islington PCT organised audit of service provision.
5.6. The pharmacy co-operates with any locally agreed PCT-led assessment of service user experience.
6. Role of the PCT in processing completed vouchers.
6.1. Islington PCT Medicines Management Team will check and validate the voucher for completeness.
6.2. Payments will be authorised on a monthly basis.
6.3. Islington PCT will calculate payments based on:
i. £6.00 per consultation, (irrespective of supply of medicines)
ii. The Drug Tariff prices and in the absence of this, a C&D cost price (+VAT)
iii. Where a prescription charge has been levied, this would be deducted from the total.
This payment has been negotiated and agreed with the LPC.
6.4. Islington PCT will not reimburse pharmacies for conditions or drugs not covered within the scheme. It will also not reimburse for vouchers from other schemes in neighbouring PCTs.
6.5. Islington PCT will monitor vouchers received for duplicate claims/ recurrent claims by patients and any other misuse of the scheme.
6.6. Islington PCT reserves the right to terminate the contract for the enhanced service with the pharmacy whereby the pharmacy fails to comply with the above service specification.
7. Indemnity
7.1. No indemnity is required over and above the pharmacy’s current level of indemnity in respect of public liability and personal indemnity against any claim or proceedings arising out of the terms, conditions and obligations of this agreement.
7.2. The PCT will have the right to see documentary evidence of the foregoing including policy renewal receipts prior to commencement of this agreement or at any stage during the period of this agreement.
8. Data protection
8.1. The pharmacy must protect personal data in accordance with the provisions and principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 and must ensure the reliability of their staff that have access to the data.
8.2. The pharmacist or their staff must not disclose any patient details to any persons other than those authorised by the PCT.
9. Complaints
9.1. The pharmacy will need to have a system for handling complaints. All complaints received must be fed back in timely fashion to the PCT complaints officer.
10. Termination of Service
10.1. Either party may terminate this agreement by providing written notification of their intention to do so. A notice period of 28 days shall be given.
Service Level Agreement
For pharmacy services provided as part of the
Enhanced Service - Minor Ailment Scheme
LEAD OFFICERS FOR AGREEMENT
The lead Project Facilitator is:
Name: Leigh Sayer
Position: Interim Community Pharmacy Lead
Telephone: 020 7527 1179
Email:
Name Sheetal Raja
Position: Medicines Management Project Facilitator
Telephone: 020 7527 1200
Email:
The lead service provider officer for this agreement is:
Pharmacist Name
Position
Telephone
SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT
This document and the attached notes comprise the Agreement concluded between Islington PCT and the pharmacy named above.
SIGNED (Pharmacist):……………………… Date: …………...….….
SIGNED (PCT): Date: 1st October 2010
Please return this form by fax to: Leigh Sayer Medicines Management Project Faxnumber: 020 7527 1412
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Medicines Management Team, Enhanced Service: Minor Ailments Scheme