The LPC strongly recommends that all contractors study these proposals so that they can see the full picture and understand the consequences for their pharmacies. The LPC will keep contractors upto date with developments and key dates. It is likely that there will be regional events and we advise attendance; it is vital that all contractors are aware of the recommendations and are able to vote from a position of full knowledge. To ensure that the vote is truly representative of community pharmacy as a whole, it is crucial that all contractors engage in this important chance to influence contract negotiations for the future.

At our LPC meeting last week, we welcomed Susan Thompson as a visitor; Sue is Director of Pharmacy at University Hospitals North Midlands (UHNM) and also leads the cross-sector Pharmacy Leadership Group in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. Sue higlighted the issues in the hospital pharmacy sector - particularly outlining plans for the future, including improved discharge processes and electronic prescribing. She is keen to manitain strong links with the LPC and community pharmacy at large. She also highlighted work force issues and staff changes of roles.

Those who know me will know that I have moved on from Well and no longer sit on the LPC as a CCA rep. I have therefore also stepped down from my role as Vice Chair and so this is my last view from the chair.  However, I have been asked to remain as treasurer so I will still be around.

Thats it for this month. Looking forward to seeing you guys soon.

• PSNC newsletter schedule over Easter;
• NHSE&I webinar on blood pressure check service;
• Patient safety culture survey results published;
• Class 2 Medicines Recall notice.

A proposed way forward to ensure that the support and services offered by PSNC and the LPCs are fit for the future has been reached by the Review Steering Group (RSG). 

The RSG has been looking for ways to solve the issues identified by David Wright’s Independent Review into the support and representation offered by PSNC and the LPCs.

After a year of extensive listening, exploratory work, analysis, and discussion within the sector, proposals that have broad consensus are being finalised. 

The RSG is once again engaging with AIM, the CCA and the NPA, as well as with PSNC and LPCs, seeking broad support for these proposals. Following this engagement, the RSG will publish its final proposals: all contractors will be asked to consider these, and to take part in a contractor vote to confirm that they are happy for the changes to PSNC and the LPCs be taken forward. 

What happens next? 

The proposals will be published shortly after Easter. The RSG will make the proposals as easy to read and understand as possible, and is working to the following timetable:

W/C 25 April 2022: Proposals published

W/C 23 May 2022: Contractor voting period begins

Contractors will have four weeks before voting begins in May to reflect on the proposals and will be encouraged to participate in a series of contractor events. The events will give a chance for questions and to hear from those who have worked on the proposals. 

Full instructions on how to vote will be shared with contractors in due course.

The Proposals and Vote 

The work undertaken by the RSG has been complex, and has involved extensive listening and involvement of stakeholders, alongside exploratory work to understand the external environment, potential costs, benefits, feasibility, and acceptability of various options for the way ahead. 

The final proposals will set out a range of ways in which the RSG believes PSNC and the LPCs could work better together to ensure that contractors get the best possible representation. This will include setting a vision for community pharmacy, reducing duplication between LPCs and PSNC, and ensuring contractors get the same levels of support, wherever they are in the country. 

Contractors will be asked to vote either to accept, or to reject, the proposals in full. 

The NHS App enables people to:

• get health advice using the health A-Z on the NHS website
• find out what to do when they need help urgently using NHS 111 online
• register as an organ donor
• choose whether the NHS uses their data for research and planning

Patients can register and prove who they are so they can:

• order their repeat prescriptions and view, set or change their nominated pharmacy, where they want their prescriptions to be sent
• view their GP health record securely
• manage their first hospital or clinic appointment with a specialist, when they are referred by their GP, through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS)

• A 7 day follow must be undertaken for ALL patients whether medication has been supplied or not.
• There has been an uplift in fees to recognise this
• There is a revised module on PharmOutcomes
• NOTE Re-enrolment in the new module is required. There is a 4 week grace period during which you can provide the service, even though you have not enrolled. After that period you will not be able to record service activity.

To reserve your place, please contact Jude Howell directly: Email: J.Howell@chiesi.com Mobile: +447585985391 

This meeting is organised and funded by Chiesi Limited
This meeting contains promotional content
Prescribing information is available at this meeting

• Patient/family Safety around Controlled Drugs: a report of an accidental overdose of Buprenorphine in a child was shared - see the full report HERE. Young children were playing doctors & nurses, an older child found a Buprenorphine patch and was going to put the plaster on a younger child, however when the second child didn't want that the first child applied to their own thigh. The patch was obtained from a grandparent's room within the family home; the child was hospitalised however has made a full recovery. KEY ACTION - ENSURE ALL PATIENTS/CARERS COLLECTING CDs ABOUT SAFE STORAGE, ESPECIALLY WHERE CHILDREN SHARE THE HOME.
• Temporary closures - these cause particular problems where the closure impacts on substance misuse clients. ACTION - ensure your Business Continuity planning includes consideration of how substance misuse clients will be managed in the event of an unexpected closure, particularly in relation to accessing relevant prescriptions for Opoiod Subsistution Therapy (OST)
• Incident reporting requirements - contractors are reminded that ALL CD incidents and concerns should be reported to the CD Accountable Officer for NHSE&I via the National CD Reporting tool at: https://www.cdreporting.co.uk/ Note that "Incidents" are classed as something that has actually happened; "Concerns" are about potential incidents. The biggest numbver of incidents concern administratiuon errors such as record keeping and unnacounted for losses.
• The CD Reporting tool also acts as a resource hub for managing Controlled Drugs too, including the opportunity to request destruction of out-of-date CDs. 
• There have also been a significant number LASA errors involving CDs, especially involving pregabalin and gabapentin
• Security of returned schedule 3 and 4 CDs - related to possible illicit diversion of returned medicines from a community pharmacy - KEY ACTION - ENSURE PHARMACY SOPs FOR MANAGING PATIENT RETURNS ARE FOLLOWED