Minutes of the Tees Local Pharmaceutical Committee meeting held on 25 September 2013, F.I. Maguire Ltd., Marton Pharmacy, Middlesbrough
Officers Present:
Jay Badenhorst, Chair
Pete Horrocks, Vice Chair
Members Present:
Sarah Ramshaw (Boots CCA), Elaine Ballantyne (Rowlands Tennant St), Paul Pendergood, Lorraine Crawford, Mark Burdon, Brent Foster, David Jarvis, Kate McQuade
Employed Officers present:
Sandie Hall, Chief Officer and HLP Project Manager
PSNC Regional Representative:
Mark Burdon
Visitors
Helen Fish - NECSU
Apologies received from:
Sanjay Nath, Treasurer
Brian Roe, Vice Treasurer
Geraint Morris
Philippa Walters
Absent no apologies received from:
Adam Crampsie
1. Chair’s Introduction
Welcome to the meeting by JB.
2. Minutes of Previous Meeting and Matters Arising
Matters arising – open and closed. Pete Horrocks was down as present and apologies on previous minutes, he was not present.
3. Conference Updates
MM and SH attended the National Public Health England Conference. There was very little representation from either GPs or Pharmacy. The HLP Tees poster was very well received and some very useful contacts made. Deborah Evans from NPA HLP and Nigel Hughes from Leeds LPC were also in attendance. Gull Root was very impressed with the work being carried out across the Tees area.
Keynote speakers gave overviews of public health issues and some evidence which supports what we already know, this was very primary care based which indicated only GPs can deliver on services.
Day 2 was heavily focused on Mental Health which is an area Community Pharmacy have not as yet focused on. SH to determine potential for skills and knowledge training in Mental Health.
4. CPPE Update
LC gave an overview of CPPE. Advanced Inhaler Technique training is going down very well with contractors as a new and innovative way of addressing issues with inhaler technique during Medicines Use Reviews. Those LPC members who have attended have given very positive feedback. In the North Tyneside area some GPs have attended sessions with similar feedback. This is a possibility in Tees in the future. Further sessions to be booked and publicised by the LPC.
5. HLP Update
There are currently 17 HLP Level I pharmacies with a further 33 working towards Level I. Level II criteria is not yet fixed. The criteria for approval may change due to the local landscape, ie it is unfair to expect a pharmacy to achieve delivery of Level II smoking services if this is not within the budget of local public health – this may change to have expertise in...... HLP report is due to be released any day for the CHASE Qualitative aspect, SH is in the process of pulling together the Quantitative aspect of the data.
6. Inequalities in Health
MM attended the session on behalf of the LPC. Some good contacts were made at the session. Jayne Herring (contracts manager) mentioned a possibility of healthy heart checks coming back to community pharmacy in the future. The sessions were very interesting with some useful outlines of the inequality gaps across tees.
Keynote speakers included:
· Amanda Skelton, Chief Executive, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
· Julia Weldon, Director of Public Health, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
· Professor Chris Bentley, Sheffield Hallam University, Health Inequalities National Support Team Associate
MM raised the question of community pharmacy delivery of projects that support the inequalities agenda.
7. GPhC inspections
PH raised the issue of the GPhC inspections changing. The GPhC has offered support to local contractors with regards to inspections. Session to be booked with GPhC to attend possibly second week in November to deliver a presentation on the requirements of the new inspections. This should be well attended as is integral for all members of pharmacy and should be open to all members of the team.
This event could also encompass a meet your LPC aspect to the event.
8. Flu Service
Full service has been commissioned by the area team including over 65’s, pregnant women, at risk over 18’s, carers on proof of carers allowance. This does not include children at all as they will be included in the nasal spray live vaccine which in this area GPs only will be delivering. On premises vaccination only can take place under the NHS PGD. All will run through pharmoutcomes with the Area Team having access to this section of the system.
Flu training has now been completed for all pharmacies requiring it. Face to face for all pharmacies who have not been trained in the past or trained and delivered less than 50 vaccines in the last season.
Nursing home and pharmacy staff should not be vaccinated unless falling into an inclusion group or anyone outside of the DDT area. It is employers responsibility to vaccinate their own staff. Anyone with no GP should be encouraged to register with a GP prior to vaccination being administered.
GPs initially will be faxed or posted letters but this will change when Pharmoutcomes GP emails are set up as to be provided by the area team.
9. Countermeasures Group
MB gave an overview of discussion with the Countermeasures Group relating to Antiviral provision in the event of a pandemic outbreak and other medications which could also be included in the scheme. PO will be potentially used for recording data. Discussion regarding a suitable fee continued. The potential for a set up fee then retainer is currently being discussed to ensure commitment from the pharmacy to deliver services at short notice and out of hours.
10. Healthy Start Vitamins
Pharmacies have been identified by the Public Health Teams in collaboration with Phillipa Walters in areas of specific need (ie maximum number of eligible individuals within a transport access route).
11. Chlamydia Test and Treat
Continue to await the PGD for Doxycycline for use with those who are ineligible for Azithromycin. David Pratt from Assura is in the process of driving forward this aspect of the service.
EHC will run through pharmoutcomes but requires a staged approach as Assura have now determined the need for a consultation room inspection to ensure it is suitable to deliver the services
All required templates are set up on PH ready to go live.
12. Focus of LPC
Discussion around the LPC and what it aims to deliver. Strategy document to be updates – SH awaiting feedback from all LPC members regarding a brief overview of themselves before this can be sent out for inclusion as a who’s who in the document for information.
Governance Documents need to be completed, SH will chase those who have not completed this directly.
All to ensure that they respond to email requests for information. The subject bar to reflect urgency or information and a date for response to be added. Chasing up of information will only happen with those that have not responded as it is confusing when reminders are sent to all.
GPhC meeting to include a meet your LPC element. Strategy Group to be set up to outline the sessions. The event to be chaired by PH with input from all members.
13. Industry Presentation
Ellie Trembath from Bayer gave a product overview with her Medical Scientist Colleague
Sandie Hall left meeting as unwell.
14. PSNC Update
MB gave an overview:
· Funding negotiations are ongoing from last year
· NMS has been extended due to the evaluation of the service not being complete
· The NHS is strapped for cash with efficiency savings to be made
· Cost report to be compiled identifying value. All services will need to have a value aspect
· CCGs must save 7% next year with NHS overall needing to save 4%
MM raised the question of – Are we better staying where we are ie under the radar?
Issues of cost remain – their interpretation will always be different from ours.
The extension of NMS will be linked to a longer deal with the NHS if outcomes are proven. All to drive forward the NMS uptake. Everyone keen to continue the NMS service.
15. LPN Update
Currently LPN has 2 chairs – Dave Carter and Mark Burdon. Interviews will be held to appoint one new chair.
Public Health England has identified its vision and 10 point plan
Its purpose is to support all Pharmacy colleagues, the LPC only supports community pharmacy.
Vote – does the LPC offer backfill if an individual attends the LPN Undecided: 1 Agreed: 8
Question – what if it is a contractor and not a member of the LPC?
? Is someone available from the AT for the November meeting
16. Referrals and pathways
Helen Fish (NECSU)
Introductions made – pilot will be South Tees only
Key points:
· How best to utilise Health Care Professionals to reduce medicines waste.
· Patients do prefer GP to refer to pharmacy for MUR/NMS – adds credibility to the service
· Pathways to be set up from James Cook Hospital for both MUR/NMS – this will follow a nationally approved template
· Helen Fish will be responsible for collating the data both pre and post the pilot
· The responsibility for the uploading of information to a GP system will sit with the practice pharmacist moving forward
· Project will be 3 months in duration
· The pathway is under scrutiny not the MUR
· ?use pharmoutcomes to record and monitor the data – monthly report from SH?
· Logo to be sent to Helen Fish
· 1st Nov launch – docs to be sent to SH – discussion continued to determine a delay in the start to January 2014 as rushing for an early start would set the project up to fail.
· Correspondence to be sent to contractors with reasons for the project to be carried out by Helen Fish
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