Service Level Agreement for Community Pharmacist Provision of:

Emergency Hormonal Contraception - Levonorgestrel

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1 Introduction

The main purpose of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) is to provide clarity of understanding for the partners around the costs of the services being provided, the levels of service and volumes expected from that investment, and the quality standards and performance measures by which it is to be monitored. It is also the key to understanding where the boundaries of responsibility lie for operational delivery of the service.

2 Parties to the agreement

Liverpool City Council

Pharmacy Contractor -

3 Duration

1st April 2017 – 31st March 2018

4 Notice Period

Three months notice is required from Liverpool City Council to the contractor if that contractor is not meeting agreed quality standards of the service, and if after input, the agreed standards had not improved. To leave the scheme, the contractor is required to give notice of three months to Liverpool City Council.

5 Confidentiality and Data security

5.1 Caldicott/information governance lead

Where for the purposes of delivering the agreed services it is necessary for the contractor to hold patient identifiable information i.e. that is subject to NHS Rules on protection and disclosure under the supervision of a named “Caldicott Guardian”/information governance lead on behalf of the partners, it shall not disclose such information without the prior consent in writing of the Caldicott Guardian/information governance lead of the organisation from which the patient identifiable information has originated. It may then disclose patient identifiable information for proper purposes under procedures supervised by the Caldicott Guardian/information governance lead of the Host organisation. This consent may be given in general or specific terms, but cannot authorise any greater degree of disclosure than would be permitted under the Caldicott/information governance arrangements of either party.

5.2 Data protection

Data held and processed for the purposes of this SLA shall be registered under the relevant provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.

5.3 Confidentiality

All parties will endeavour to maintain appropriate confidentiality regarding information that is proprietary to each of the partners within the context of shared working.

5.4 Commerciality

All parties shall treat the contents of this SLA as “Commercial in Confidence”.

6 Audit Access

Liverpool City Council reserves the right to access any relevant paperwork relating to the service provided within the appropriate confidentiality boundaries. Contractors are required to retain background documentation for a period of 8 years (in adults) or until the 25th birthday if a child (age 26 if entry made when young person was 17), or 8 years after death. See also Guidance on the Retention and Disposal of Hospital Notes, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH)

7 Financial Arrangements

Payment is subject to meeting the requirements of the service. The contractor will be paid:

  • Consultation fee - £15.30
  • Levonorgestrel 1500mcg - Drug Tariff price (currently at April 2017) of £5.20 plus 5% VAT
  • Pregnancy test (as appropriate) - £5.62

Payment will be made a month in arrears on the 28th of the month.

There will be an annual review of the payment with officers of the Liverpool Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC). The contractors will be notified of any agreed amendments.

Claims for reimbursement of the vouchers must be made using Webstar Service Pact. Information is to be entered in a timely manner on to Service Pact to record the items of issue against each voucher. The cost of the items dispensed will be reimbursed together with the voucher dispensing fee.

Information is to be entered by the 7th of the month following the transaction. This will enable Webstar to produce an “automated pharmacy invoice” and generate a payment file to Liverpool City Council for payment by the end of that month.

8 Changes in Service Provision

If the requirements of the service change, then after consultation with the Liverpool LPC the contractor will be notified and asked to support the new initiative.

9 Description of Services and Objectives & Service Schedule

Are detailed in Appendix 1 (2017) of the Service Specification.

Liverpool City CouncilAppendix 1 (2017)

Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework Enhanced Service Specification: Emergency Hormonal Contraception - Levonorgestrel

1 Aims and intended service outcomes

1.1 To improve quick access to emergency contraception in order to reduce unintended pregnancies

1.2 To reduce referrals to abortion services

1.3 To help service users access additional services than those offered in primary care or sexual health services

1.4 To assist in the delivery of the sexual health indicators included in the Public Health Outcomes Framework

2 Service description

2.1 The pharmacy will help facilitate supply of appropriate and specified emergency contraception and pregnancy tests.

3 Service outline

3.1 Those eligible for this service are patients who:

  • are resident in Liverpool OR
  • work within Liverpool
  • Patients may self-refer into the service or may be referred by another health professional such as a GP
  • The part of the pharmacy used for provision of the service must provide a sufficient level of privacy
  • The pharmacy will make available to patients health promotion material
  • The pharmacy will signpost patients as appropriate to other services
  • The pharmacy shall maintain appropriate records to ensure effective ongoing service delivery and audit. Patient details are recorded within the Webstar Service Pact system in a timely manner
  • Pharmacists may only share relevant information with other health care professionals and agencies, in line with appropriate confidentiality principles

4 Liverpool City Council Responsibilities

4.1 Liverpool City Council will endeavour to arrange at least one contractor meeting per year to promote service development and update the knowledge of pharmacy staff.

4.2 Liverpool City Council will provide a framework for the recording of relevant service information for the purposes of audit and the claiming of payment.

4.3 Liverpool City Council will provide details of relevant referral points which pharmacy staff may use to signpost service users who require further assistance.

5 Service Standards

5.1 Pharmacies will offer a user-friendly, non-judgmental, patient-centred and confidential service.

5.2 The part of the pharmacy used for provision of the service will provide a sufficient level of privacy and safety.

5.3 The pharmacy contractor has a duty to ensure that pharmacists and staff involved in the provision of the service are currently registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and have the relevant knowledge and are appropriately trained in the operation of the service. All pharmacists providing this service are required to have completed the Centre of Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) Declaration of Competence for Emergency Hormonal Contraception and to have completed the training requirements in line with the PGD:

Requirements of registered community pharmacists working under the PGD
Initial training / As a minimum requirement, this must be at the same level, covering the same learning objectives and competencies as the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) e-learning programme for emergency contraception and safeguarding.
Ongoing training and competency / The pharmacist must maintain a regular self-assessment declaration of competency every two years or sooner if appropriate.
In addition to the statutory requirement for Continuing Professional Development (CPD), each pharmacist is expected to maintain an up to date awareness of developments in emergency contraception.

5.4 The pharmacy contractor has a duty to ensure that pharmacists and staff involved in the provision of the service are aware of and operate within local protocols.

5.5 The pharmacy must endeavour to demonstrate that pharmacists and staff involved in the provision of the service have undertaken appropriate training, as outlined in the PGD and continuing Professional Development relevant to this service.

5.6 Each participating contractor must have in place and follow a comprehensive confidentiality policy and comply with Caldicott/information governance guidelines.

5.7 The pharmacy has appropriate health promotion material available for the user group and promotes its uptake.

5.8 The pharmacy reviews its standard operating procedures and the referral pathways for the service every 2 years but ensure staff members are trained on an annual basis.

5.9 The pharmacy will participate in any annual Liverpool City Council organised audit of service.

5.10 The pharmacy co-operates with any relevant and Liverpool City Council agreed assessment of service user experience.

I confirm that this Pharmacy wishes to provide Emergency Hormonal Contraception – Levonorgestrel from 1st April 2017 – 31st March 2018, as per the above specification, in line with the PGD (dated 1 June 2016).

Name of Pharmacy: …………………………………………………………………………………….

Signed: ………………………………………………Date………….…………………………….

Print name: …………………………………………Designation……………………………….