NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF
INTRODUCTION OF INSTALMENT AUTOMATION
From 1st February 2015, Pharmacy Practitioner Services (PSD) will commence automation of electronic Instalment dispensed claims (i.e. for electronic claims submitted from 1st Feb onwards). Automation of an instalment claim means the priceable item is determined by ePay and the dispensing count is incremented by the number of instalments. The only difference from existing automation of non- instalment items is the automatic increment of the CPs instalment/ dispensing count.
The initial implementation will only attempt to automate claims for 4 or 8 instalments and only for tablet and capsule items, which covers 94% of electronic instalment item claims. Methadone, non-drugs, drugs that are not tablets or capsules and supervised instalments are excluded from instalment automation.
In Sept 2014 dispensing there were 713,864 instalment items recorded of which 50% (357,164) were claimed electronically. Instalment automation will address 94% of these electronic instalment endorsed claims, approximately a further 335,000 electronic claims, with an expectation of automating around 85% to 90% of these. PSD regularly automate about 5.3 million non-instalment claims per month, which should increase to around 5.6 million claims per month using this new feature. The claim will only be automated if the number of instalments are 4 or 8, the instalments were not supervised, and the normal automations rules are met (Quantities within business rules, dispensed item is allowable against the prescribed item, instalment endorsed quantity matches dispensed quantity).
Quickly following on from the start of instalment automation is an enhancement to the claiming process to allow electronic claims to be amended/cancelled beyond the current 14 day limit. The time period to modify/cancel claims will effectively be extended from 14 days to an indefinite period whilst the pharmacy still retains the prescription form.
This enhancement will be available from March 9th, which will be in time to support any modification to February eClaims where the form has not been submitted.
8 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
Pharmacists ‘leading role’ in antibiotic prescribing – hears Parliament Debate
As many as 276,000 fewer antibiotic prescriptions in primary care were issued last year, according to Malcolm Chisholm MSP during a debate on antimicrobial resistance in Scottish Parliament.
During the debate, all MSPs in Scotland were urged to sign up to be an Antibiotic Guardian on the Antibiotic Guardian website.
Scottish Parliament debated a motion on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and European Antibiotics Awareness Day (EAAD), which Jim Eadie MSP had lodged in support of the parliamentary reception and debate which took place on EAAD 18 November 2014.
“None of us should be in any doubt about the scale of the problem. The emergence of infections that are resistant to drug treatment is a growing public health concern. If antibiotics are not used responsibly, we could face a situation in the future in which we simply do not have effective cures for infections,” Mr Eadie said.
“In November last year, I was pleased to host a seminar on behalf of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in which the Scottish Government’s healthcare associated infection medical advisor, Professor, Alistair Leanord, outlined the Scottish Government’s strategic objectives in the area. They are to improve the knowledge and understanding of antimicrobial resistance; to conserve the effectiveness of existing treatments; and to stimulate the development of
NEW PRESIDENT FOR ABPI
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has appointed John Kearney as President of the Association. He will take up office on 24 April 2015. John replaces Jonathan Emms who is stepping down as President following a promotion within Pfizer which sees him relocating to the US.
Page Content John Kearney, General Manager UK and Ireland at Amgen, has 35 years
Jim Eadie MSP
new antibiotics, diagnostics and novel therapies.
“All healthcare professionals must work in partnership with their patients to discuss when antibiotics are necessary and when they are not required. Specialist pharmacists play a leading role in stewardship to ensure the appropriate prescribing of antibiotics as part of a multidisciplinary approach through the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group (SAPG). Much has already been achieved by antimicrobial pharmacists, working with National Health Service board antimicrobial management teams, to influence hospital prescribing.
Mr Eadie also highlighted EEAD’s focus on community pharmacy in 2014, specifically mentioning the SAPG
of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He held UK and international roles at GlaxoSmithKline and international roles at Pfizer before joining Amgen in 2007. An economics graduate, John has been on the Board of the ABPI since 2008 where he has worked on a number of key initiatives including leading the Association’s pricing team in negotiations with the Department of Health to secure the 2014 PPRS.
“I am delighted to be building on the recent leadership of Jonathan Emms, at a time when the pharmaceutical industry as a
resource pack comprising a poster, patient information leaflets and self-care information sheets, which was distributed to all community pharmacies in Scotland.
The debate also had further contributions from Nanette Milne MSP, Roderick Campbell MSP and Dr Richard Simpson MSP before the debate was closed by the Minister for Public Health, Maureen Watt MSP.
The Minister in her closing remarks welcomed the debate and highlighted specifically the self-care leaflets initiative. “Those leaflets support pharmacists in providing patients with specific advice about symptoms of respiratory illness, as well as facilitating referral to a GP if required,” she said.
“Their primary aim is to promote community pharmacies as the first point of call for advice and treatment for winter illnesses, which are typically caused by viruses, and to reduce patient expectations of receiving antibiotics as the first line of treatment.
“In NHS Scotland, in 2015-16, an AMR public awareness campaign will be developed and delivered by NHS Health Scotland, with input from other key agencies,” she added.
whole is delivering such a high quality and quantity of new science and treatment innovations. I look forward to playing my part in ensuring those innovations are able to make a real difference in the funding and provision of health services, in the outstanding work of healthcare professionals in the UK, and – ultimately – to patients. I am committed to playing my part by listening to all those involved in planning and providing health services in the UK, and leading the ABPI in its engagement with them,” he says.
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