Reminder of community pharmacy clinical audit
NHS England has announced the mandatory community pharmacy audit that all pharmacies in England will need to complete by 16th December 2018. The audit aim is “70% of people with diabetes identified by the pharmacy staff during the dispensing of a prescription or in another way, are offered public health advice on the importance of them receiving a flu vaccination”.
Pharmacies need to collect data on a minimum of 10 patients and should conduct it over a period of one week, or longer if required to meet the minimum of 10 patients per pharmacy. NHS England is particularly interested in the public health advice offered to people with diabetes to explain why they should have the flu vaccination, and the reasons some people with diabetes are not vaccinated. You can read more about the national audit requirements and access the paperwork on the PSNC website here.
As well as completing this national audit, community pharmacies also need to complete their own clinical audit before the end of March 2019. Pharmacies can choose the topic of that audit themselves.
FMD: Make sure your pharmacy is ready
14 weeks to go
The Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) comes into effect across Europe on 9th February 2018 and community pharmacies need to be prepared. Don’t forget to book onto our FMD briefing event on Thursday 22nd November, with Raj Patel – Chair of the UK FMD Working Group for Community Pharmacy. Raj will explain what FMD means for pharmacies and what you need to do to comply, and will also be happy to answer any questions you have.
FMD: SecurMed UK registration should open shortly
Pharmacies will need to be registered with SecurMed UK – the new UK medicines verification system – before FMD comes into effect in February. Registration is expected to open shortly, and SecurMed has just announced it plans to connect to the EU-wide medicines verification system by 2nd November. We will let you know as soon as there is any information about how community pharmacies can register with SecurMed UK. In the meantime, we’ve created a short FMD briefing that explains the key requirements on two sides of A4 and a dedicated webpage where you’ll be able to find all our guidance and other useful links.
FMD: Send us your questions for Raj Patel
We’re keen to get all your questions about the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD), both to help us plan the FMD briefings and support we provide and so we can make sure we put them to Raj Patel – Chair of the UK FMD Working Group for Community Pharmacy – at our briefing event on 22nd November. Send us your queries and questions about FMD by emailing enquiries@gmlpc.org.uk, using the subject header ‘FMD: Questions for Raj’.
Managing eye conditions/MECS: Watch our recorded webinar
You can now watch the recorded version of our webinar on managing eye conditions in community pharmacy, including red eyes, dry eyes and spotting red flags for potentially sight-threatening conditions. The webinar also included details of the Minor Eye Conditions Service / red eye service commissioned in some parts of Greater Manchester, with links to lists of participating optical practices. Watch it here.
New pharmacies selected to offer inhaler technique service
Thank-you to all the pharmacies that submitted expressions of interest in providing the inhaler technique check service, alongside those pharmacies that already provide the service. All expressions of interest have now been scored and ranked and the successful pharmacies are being informed by CHL (the community pharmacy provider company). They are also being sent information about training to help them deliver the service.
Flu vaccination leaflets for people aged 65+
Pharmacy teams may find this leaflet from Public Health England helpful – it has information about the aTIV flu vaccine for people aged 65+. You may also find this PSNC leaflet helpful for use when advising people aged 65+ to return to the pharmacy when aTIV is available.
Branded generics - please send your examples
GMLPC has been working with commissioners across Greater Manchester to raise awareness of the difficulties that branded generics can pose for community pharmacies. This includes the fact that it means pharmacies often have to hold duplicate/multiple stock to meet the requirements of different commissioners, like the examples below.
We are very keen to hear about any issues that branded generics are causing in YOUR pharmacy to help us highlight the risks to commissioners and achieve consensus on a standard approach across Greater Manchester. Send your examples to enquiries@gmlpc.org.uk.
 
Do you want HLP Health Champions training?
We are considering arranging HLP Health Champions training in December and are keen to gauge the level of interest before we book anything, so would be grateful if all pharmacies could complete this very short survey. This training would be for pharmacy staff who are NOT already Health Champions. It would involve a two-day training course to enable staff to become qualified Health Champions, helping you meet the requirements for Healthy Living Pharmacy Level 1. Please complete this very short survey to let us know if your pharmacy would be interested in training.
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October price concessions
Further price concessions have now been announced for October 2018. Don’t forget to report any shortages or pricing issues using our reporting tool.
Key dates for your pharmacy: Training & events
Make sure you read the Training & Events section further down in this newsletter for details of our next events, including:
- Integrated ways of working with GP practices (7th & 28th Nov)
- FMD, Quality Payments and the Data Security & Protection Toolkit (22nd Nov)
Last chance to access North West Mary Seacole
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have just a few weeks left to apply for the last North West-based cohort in the Mary Seacole Leadership Programme for Community Pharmacy. The programme is fully funded and it’s a fantastic opportunity for registered professionals who are keen to move into leadership/management roles in the future. The deadline for applications is 27th November 2018. The programme starts on 8th January 2019 and runs online over six months, with three face-to-face workshops in Liverpool over that time. Find out more and apply.
Academy newsletter
Look out for the second of our GM Healthcare Academy newsletters later this week, with details of upcoming training & events. make sure contact@gmhealthcareacademy.org.uk is on your 'safe senders' list.
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Free ACPT training
CPPE is running a series of fully-funded accuracy checking pharmacy technician (ACPT) courses from 1st November. There will be five cohorts, with 20 places on each month’s cohort. The course enables pharmacy technicians to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to provide the final accuracy check of dispensed medicines that have been clinically screened or approved by a pharmacist, and assembled and labelled by another team member. Find out more and apply.
Work opportunities at GMLPC: Projects & interim roles
We have a number of exciting projects coming up as part of the four major workstreams in our strategy for supporting GMLPC contractors and community pharmacies.
We’re looking for people who would be interested in working for us on specific projects on an interim / fixed-term basis, both now and in the future. The skillsets we’re looking for could vary depending on the particular project or role, but may include:
- Experience of community pharmacy
- Experience of managing / working on projects
- Experience of supporting pharmacy teams
The work would be ideally suited to people who have previous experience with LPCs, although this is not essential. If you’re interested in being involved, or would like to find out more, please send a covering letter (detailing your areas of interest) and your CV (incl skillset) to enquiries@gmlpc.org.uk. |
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Locality news: what's happening in your area
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Bury: Call for Expressions of Interest
Flu vaccination service for people accessing supervised consumption
Bury pharmacies that provide private & NHS flu vaccinations along with supervised consumption (SC) are invited to submit expressions of interest in providing flu vaccinations for people accessing SC. Commissioners would like the service to go live in mid-November. Find out more about the opportunity & how to express interest.
Manchester: Prescribing switches to note
Manchester Health and Care Commissioning are due to start switching two products. They will not be starting this for at least threer weeks, but we would urge you to consider your stockholding in light of this information. Both new products should be available through main wholesalers. The switches are:
- All branded and generic Oxycodone PR to Oxeltra PR
- Generic and Glucophage SR to Yaltormin SR
Wigan: Information about new sexual health service provider
Wigan and Leigh commissioners have issued some information for community pharmacies and other healthcare staff about the borough’s new sexual health services provider. The guidance includes details of how people can access the services provided across Wigan and Leigh. The new provider, Spectrum, also plans to set up a forum for health professionals and is consulting at the moment to get your views on how it should work. Read more about the new services & forum consultation here.
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GMLPC, GM Healthcare Academy & CHL training and events:
Book now! Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) event on 22nd Nov
FMD, Quality Payments & IG: Everything you need to know
This is a unique opportunity to learn, understand and prepare your action plan to comply with FMD. The event is open to all Greater Manchester community pharmacy contractors and is designed to simplify all the noise and bring you the essential information.
The event will also include an update on Quality Payments and a briefing on the new NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit, which has replaced the IG Toolkit and which has to be completed by 31st March 2019. Book your place now!
- ‘FMD, Quality Payments & IG: Everything you need to know’. Thursday 22nd November at the AJ Bell Stadium, 1 Stadium Way, Barton-upon-Irwell, M30 7EY. (Sat Nav should use M30 7LJ) Registration & refreshments 6.30pm; training 7pm. Don’t miss out! Book now!
Integrated Working with GPs: November events
Book your free place now!
We know that the closest inter-professional relationships community pharmacies have are with GPs. Can we work better with GPs and other primary care colleagues, such as practice-based pharmacists, to maximise patient care and improve our businesses? We believe so! Book your place on an interactive workshop as follows:
- Wed 7th Nov: Red Hall Hotel, Bury, BL9 5NA (6.30pm-9.30pm). Book now.
- 28th Nov: AJ Bell Stadium, M30 7EY (6.30pm-9.30pm). Book now.
Agenda:
6.30pm – 7.00pm Registration and networking
Followed by sessions on:
- Why we need to work with our primary care colleagues
- An example of a joint project
- What GPs want from community pharmacists
- What practice pharmacists want from community pharmacists
- What community pharmacists want from primary care colleagues
- How we can work together to maximise the benefits from the changes to quality payments
- Future-proofing
External training & events:
CPPE: Medicines, people & value online learning campaign
CPPE is running a four-week online learning campaign (from 22nd October) to help registered pharmacy professionals understand more about the NHS England Medicines Value programme. Over the four weeks, participants will learn more about the role of pharmacies in medicines value, medicines waste, falls prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship. You can access the campaign here.
PSNC FMD webinar: 7th November
Prof Peter Noyce Memorial Lecture: 7th November
The University of Manchester is holding the second annual Memorial Lecture for Prof Peter Noyce CBE on 7th November (5.30pm-7.30pm). The lecture will be delivered by Prof Nick Barber, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacy at UCL, and the topic is the eupharmic patient: a new goal for pharmacy. Find out more and register. Free accuracy checking pharmacy technician (ACPT) training
CPPE is running a series of fully-funded accuracy checking pharmacy technician (ACPT) courses from 1st November. There will be five cohorts, with 20 places on each month’s cohort. The course enables pharmacy technicians to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to provide the final accuracy check of dispensed medicines that have been clinically screened or approved by a pharmacist, and assembled and labelled by another team member. Find out more and apply.
Last chance to access North West Mary Seacole Leadership Programme
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have just a few weeks left to apply for the last North West-based cohort in the Mary Seacole Leadership Programme for Community Pharmacy. The programme is fully funded and it’s a fantastic opportunity for registered professionals who are keen to move into leadership/management roles in the future. The deadline for applications is 27th November 2018. The programme starts on 8th January 2019 and runs online over six months, with three face-to-face workshops in Liverpool over that time. Find out more and apply.
CPPE: Greater Manchester events
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