Welcome to this weeks LPC e-bulletin.w/e 23.09.2016.
Somerset Community Pharmacy Strategy Event - A call to action!
As you're aware, tickets went out a fortnight agoby email via Eventbrite -an online ticketing service, for our upcoming event evenings in Taunton 27th Sept & Yeovil 28th Sept.
If any colleague(s) would like to attend an event, I will be happy to book your ticket(S) for you.Please send your name and email address to: . Or, call me on07714214811 for an immediate confirmation of booking.
If possible, Somerset LPC would like as many of our contractors to attend, or nominate colleagues in your place. The purpose of these events is to brief the wholeSomerset Community Pharmacy Team on the future vision and strategy for pharmacy in Somerset.
Learn more about community pharmacy access to the Summary Care Record (SCR)
Make sure you watch two related webinars to find out how to get the most out of Summary Care Record (SCR) access in your pharmacy.
The first webinar, to be held on Thursday 13th October at 7.30pm and hosted by PSNC, will cover what is required to go live, the benefits of SCR usage, how to use SCR to improve efficiency, and top tips and experiences from users. More information on the second webinar, to be hosted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) on Tuesday 18th October, will be made available shortly.INFO
The Value of Community Pharmacy – a summary of PwC’s report (September 2016) #valueofpharmacy
As part of the response to Government proposals to reduce community pharmacy funding by £170m, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) to examine and quantify the economic contribution of community pharmacy in England in 2015. This PSNC Briefing summarises the findings from the resulting report.
The PwC reports are available to download and read:Full Report
Health and Care Innovation Expo 2016. 14 September 2016
Simon Stevens used his keynote address to update Expo audiences on various key delivery programs, including an expansion of the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP), designed to help people at risk of Type 2 Diabetes, to 17 additional areas across the country, and for the first time, a digital DPP, enabling more individuals to get the kind of support and education they need to prevent this avoidable and high cost condition. Read all theINFO
NHS England Southwrites to ask for your support in increasing the uptake by pregnant women of the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine and to notify you that a campaign to promote the vaccine will run across the region from Wednesday 7 September.
Whooping cough is highly infectious and can cause potentially fatal health complications in babies and young infants. Confirmed infections have increased by 25% between 2014 and 2015 and there have been a number of recent cases.
Yet despite this, the number of eligible women taking up the vaccine remains at around 60% nationally. Locally, there is significant variation across CCG boundary areas, with some areas recording as low as just 43% of eligible pregnant women.
The vaccine is given at a GP practice or in maternity units at the point of the foetal abnormality scan from 20 weeks of pregnancy. Ideally it should be given before 32 weeks, but it can still be given right up to the point of labour, but with reduced effectiveness
During the winter flu season, pregnant women should also receive the flu vaccination which can be given at the same time as whooping cough vaccine.
Community pharmacists and staff are a vital part of the health and care team, regularly providing pregnant women with advice. You can assist by encouraging your members to raise awareness of the increasing risks and promote the uptake of whooping cough and flu vaccinations.
Stoptober is Nearly HERE!
The Stoptober special bulletin was circulated yesterday (14.09.16) to all pharmacies and area managers, providing all the details for a successful Stoptober 2016 contractual Public Health Campaign.
Consequently, you will all now of course be aware that you can expect to receive campaign resources (Pharmacy Toolkits) the week commencing the 19.09.16 - 23.09.16 and how and when to follow up with Public Health England via email at () if you do not receive your campaign materials by the close of play on the 23rd September.
For quick reference, an online (ADOBE Cloud) version of the Stoptober special bulletin can be accessed HERE.
Please note that the evaluation for Stoptober will once again be on PharmOutcomes.
(NO Paper or electronic copies of the evaluation will be accepted as proof of participation in the campaign and as such will be discarded) The deadline for completion of evaluations (unless stated otherwise) will be within 2 weeks of the close of the Stoptober campaign, between the 12.11.16 - 26.11.16. After this date the evaluation form will become ‘read only’: this will mean that those pharmacies who do not complete their evaluations, as required within the given timescale, will not then be able to retrospectively complete evaluations in preparation for, or, at year end itself, for the contractual year 2016-17.
MHRA updates guidance on levonorgestrel-containing emergency contraceptive interactionsSeptember 16, 2016
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued updated advice to healthcare professionals about the concomitant use of levonorgestrel-containing emergency hormonal contraception and hepatic enzyme inducing drugs. Detailed information can be found HERE
August 30, 2016 #getreadyforflu
Community pharmacy contractors are now able to notify NHS England of their intention to begin providing the Flu Vaccination Service, which will commence on 1st September 2016, by completing the notification form available on theNHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) website.
This must be done annuallytherefore even if a contractor provided the service in 2015/16 they must complete this sign-up process again. Contractors need to complete this form for all their pharmacies from which the Flu Vaccination Service will be offered.
If the form is not completed before provision of the service, claims for payment will not be accepted by the NHS BSA. The electronic form on the NHS BSA website asks for the Pharmacy Organisation Code; this is the ODS or F code for the pharmacy that is used on the end of month submission to the Pricing Authority. If the form is incorrectly completed it may result in a delay in payment for the service.
National Flu Service 2016/17 is now live on PharmOutcomes.
The service has a start and end date set to prevent service recording before the 1st September 2016 and after the 31st March 2017. All pharmacy teams will now be able to see the service template to familiarise themselves with the appearance and to access the service support guides that are again linked to the service side bar for download. These will inform practitioners how the service works etc. Pharmacists will also be able to enrol well in advance of service commencement.Additionally, this year we have produced some video guides that cover enrolment, GP notification management and service delivery. These will be available to view from the PharmOutcomes front page from next week. Full details can be found here under Pharmoutcomes Flu Service Deployment notes 2016
Health Care Workers 2016
Somerset LPC are pleased to inform that Somerset County Council have taken the decision to continue with their programme with regards to Flu Vaccination for Health Care Workers, starting on 1st October 2016 and finishing on 28th Feb 2017.
The service is similar to last year but with a couple of minor changes. For your Pharmacy to be included in the scheme you will need to complete the expression of Interest and Service spec forms HEREand post to Johnny Partridge at Somerset County Council by 15th September.Also available is the Service Specification, please read it very carefully as it has allthe information you will require to guide you.
To claim payment for allvaccines administered this will be via Pharmoutcomes. Please enter all vaccinations on Pharmoutcomes in a timely manner, and enter all details required. If you need any support with either Pharmoutcomes or to obtain further information, then please contact Yvonne Lamb our Engagement Officer who will happily assist you.Email: or Tel:+44(0)7932952497
Flu Vaccination Service carers poster on its way to pharmacies - September 19, 2016
All community pharmacy contractors in England are being sent a Flu Vaccination Service poster aimed at carers to help promote the national service to this target group.
PSNCis distributing the A3poster, originally created last year, in the centre of our Community Pharmacy News (CPN) magazine forcommunity pharmacies to display. The poster is double-sided so can be stuck on a window for maximum effect.CPN is due to be mailed within the Pharmacy Magazine pack as usual and is expected to arrive around 30th September.Alternatively, todownload the Flu Vaccination Service carersposter, please click here
Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
Somerset Prescribing and medicines management(PAMM)
Prescribing (includes Formulary and Traffic Light System)
Medicines Management
Public Health Information
Other information
Pharmacy opening hours over the Christmas & New Year period 2016-17.
If your pharmacy* wishes to change their core or supplementary hours across the Christmas and New Year, the relevant template must be completed and returned by email to Sallygiving at least 90 days’ notice. *Please note that it has been agreed for Boots pharmacies that all requests are submitted by the Area Managers and not via individual pharmacies.All information including the necessary forms are now available on our web site for your convenience.
CPPE e-courses CPPE has courses scheduled stretching into 2017, including Healthyliving pharmacies – developing your services and Mental health. Tobook on to an e-course, visit: cppe.ac.uk/programme-listings/ecourses
CPPE Events for Autumn 2016
CPPE is funded by Health Education England to provide CPD for pharmacists, pre-registration pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. The events are FREE and you can attend a CPPE workshop in any area.
To book a workshop, log in tothe CPPE website: (login and click on 'Book a workshop') or email: . Alternatively, telephone CPPE on 0161 778 4000 quoting the event number and your GPhC number.
The Autumn events are as follows:
Event title: Polypharmacy focal point
Location: Holiday Inn, Taunton TA1 2UATime: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Date: Thursday 29th September 2016Event ID: 44860
Event title: Epilepsy focal point
Location: Yeovil Town Football club BA22 8YFTime: 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Date: Wednesday 9th November 2016Event ID: 45278
Somerset LPC - Information on all our news and events can be found via our website and Calendar:
Mary Pennington
Administration Officer
Somerset LPC
Tel: +44(0)7714214811
Please note I generally work for the LPC on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, but will endeavour to return emails outside of these times where possible.
Visit our website:
Follow us on Twitter: @SomersetLPC
Like us on Facebook: Somerset LPC