| Weekly News Digest - 14th November 2024 |
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IMPORTANT REMINDER: Patient medication chargesWe would like to remind all community pharmacies that under the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF), patients cannot be charged extra if the cost of their medication exceeds the drug tariff reimbursement amount. We understand that these are challenging times for everyone, but it is important to adhere to this guideline to ensure patients receive their medications without additional financial burden. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
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| NHS England have relaunched their Pharmacy First public-facing campaign and have made minor revisions to the original campaign materials, including additional information on the age criteria for the clinical pathways. Updated campaign materials are now available. For further resources visit Community Pharmacy England website under "Promoting the service to the public" section. |
| World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, runs from 18th to 24th November, and is led by the World Health Organization. The aim is to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and promote best practices among the public, healthcare workers, and policymakers to prevent the spread of drug-resistant infections. Materials and a toolkit has been provided with quick and ready-to-use resources to support local World AMR Awareness Week campaigns. |
| View the NHS SPS infographic signposts to resources for pharmacy technicians and PGDs. |
| Visit our website to view a very useful webinar detailing the Shingles clinical pathway. |
| The latest Healthwatch Oxfordshire newsletter is available to download. |
| Community Pharmacy England has updated its factsheet to help pharmacy owners and teams with system-specific IT issues. Key points include: reporting issues to suppliers, escalation routes, follow-up and additional support. View the detailed factsheet for more information. |
| NHS England invites National Care Records Service (NCRS) users, including community pharmacy professionals, to share their views. The NCRS, replaced the Summary Care Record portal and your feedback will help to improve the system making it easier for pharmacies to use and improving communication with patients. Complete the 5 minutes survey by 20th November 2024. |
| The deadline to register for the fiscal review of the community pharmacy sector is now Monday, 18th November 2024. This review by NHS England allows pharmacy owners to highlight the true costs of running a pharmacy. The survey takes 15-20 minutes, and all data will be anonymised. |
| Providers interested in offering the COVID-19 Vaccination Service from 1 April 2025 can apply via the NHSBSA webpage. Community pharmacies with existing contracts do not need to re-apply as these are valid until 31 March 2026. Interested providers must review the guidance and agreements on the NHS England website. Applications are due by 11.59pm on 19 November 2024. Click here. |
| All pharmacies must complete this mandatory survey by 11th December 2024. Pharmacies should have received an email from NHSBSA to complete the survey. If not, check with your head office if you're part of a multiple pharmacy group. |
CGL is introducing a new pharmacy service in Reading to support substance misuse treatment. The event will cover the service's components, development, pilot, evaluation, and the new process for recording activity and making claims on PharmOutcomes. Improved pharmacy remuneration will also be discussed. Interested in delivering this service? Contact Lynn Taylor at CGL (lynn.taylor@cgl.org.uk). Join the Zoom event on Wednesday, 27th November 2024 at 7:30pm using the meeting link.
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| Oxford County Council are offering two free Very Brief Advice (VBA) sessions for non-clinical professionals working with clients, service users, or residents in Oxfordshire. The training covers background on smoking and its impact, how VBA works, when and how to have the conversation, signposting and making referrals The 2-hour sessions will be held online via Teams, and you can book tickets through Eventbrite. Click here. |
The University of Bath’s postgraduate pharmacy team has launched a series of online short courses for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. The courses are self-paced and designed to support your professional development; the courses cost £25 each. The Mental Health course is available for free. Learn more and sign up here. |
CPPE are running workshops for Pharmacy Technicians. The aim of the Pharmacy Tehnician Impact group programme is to enhance confidence, leadership, and professional skills through practical development. It includes: 6 online sessions over 12 months of small group learning with an expert CPPE tutor. See here for more information and how to apply. |
CPPE have released further training workshops for community pharmacies for December 2024 to March 2025. Visit our website to view the full calendar and booking links. |
NHSE will be presenting the following support webinars to answer any questions you may have for hosting a trainee for the 2026/27 year: Tuesday 19th November 6:30pm to 8pm - Meeting link Wednesday 27th November 1pm to 2pm - Meeting link |
| These online sessions cover how NHSBSA handles submissions, common errors, and tips on endorsing prescriptions. Pharmacy teams can benefit by learning new practices to prevent payment errors. The next webinar will be held on Tuesday 28 November 2024 at 2:00pm, to register email NHSBSA at open-days@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. Please visit the CPTV website for further webinar dates and times. |
| CPE are hosting a webinar on the introduction of OPD on 25th November 2024 at 7:30pm. The webinar has been scheduled ahead of changes coming into effect to help guide pharmacy owners to implement this new dispensing protocol. Book your place now! Visit the CPE website for more information. |
NHS England have scheduled a webinar to discuss the programme underway, contribute, share reflections and help co-design and shape this new national resource. Register your place on this event on 27th November 2024 from 7.00pm - 8.30pm. |
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