Hay fever guidance

The Department of Health NI policy is to “reduce the prescribing of medicines for the treatment of minor conditions and self-limiting illnesses which may be purchased at low cost without the need for a GP appointment or prescription”. Patients are encouraged to self- care and seek advice from their local community pharmacist to help manage minor conditions and self-limiting illnesses. Hayfever is a condition which lends itself to self-care therefore most people with mild to moderate symptoms are able to relieve symptoms with OTC treatments recommended by a pharmacist, the guidance says. NPA members can supplement their learning with a new module in the CPD Hub. This module considers OTC treatments and how to tailor advice for different patient needs.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Updated NPA privacy statement

The NPA has updated its NPA Privacy Statement and Data Protection Notice. Members should take a moment to familiarise themselves with how the NPA continues to keep your personal data secure
and adjustments made to meet the new General Data Protection Regulations and deliver your membership services.

UK WIDE

Check you are GDPR compliant

Contractors by now should be GDPR complaint after the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect in the UK from 25 May 2018. To support pharmacy teams in meeting
the requirements of the GDPR the NPA has resources which are available to download from its website including, a webinar presentation and Community Pharmacy GDPR Working party cross- sector guidance.

UK WIDE

PMR providers contacting members

The NPA is aware that some members are being told by their patient medication record (PMR) provider that they need a Falsi ed Medicines Directive (FMD) compliant system by next February and to get this they need to sign a new four year contract. It is important that members read the contract in detail, including small print, and look for tie-in clauses: what opportunities could you miss by being bound to the contract for that long? NPA members are also encouraged to read up on FMD guidance paper which has been published on www.fmdsource.co.uk, the authoritative portal for FMD information run by the UK FMD Working Group for Community Pharmacy.

UK WIDE

Quality payments review date

The review date for the Quality Payments Scheme falls on 29th June and the NHS Business Services Authority’s portal for the Quality Payment online declaration is also set to open.

Community pharmacy contractors should be meeting the gateway criteria and some if not all the quality criteria for the Quality Payments Scheme.

Read up on the NHS England guidance documents to ensure they are fully briefed.

Some things to remember include:

• The payments claim window will be between 9am on Monday 11 June 2018 and 11.59pm on Friday 13 July 2018
• Each point will have a minimum value of £32 and a maximum value of £64
• There will be no reconciliation payment made as there is only one review point; the payments made to NHS pharmacy contractors will be calculated to distribute the full £37.5 million funding allocated to the interim QP scheme
• Payment for the review point on 29 June 2018 will be paid
  as part of the full payment for July 2018 submission – you will receive this at the end of August 2018 or early September 2018.

ENGLAND

For more information about these issues call 01727 891 800 or email pharmacyservices@npa.co.uk.