NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF
REFORM OF SMOKING CESSATION SERVICE
Community Pharmacy Scotland in noting the publication of the ISD report on NHS Smoking Cessation Services in Scotland, has said concern must be voiced.
“While we are encouraged that over 70% are still occurring through the community pharmacy network, we note with concern the 31% drop in patients accessing services overall. We do recognise this is not unique to Scotland and there are many factors contributing to this decline,” they have stated.
However Community Pharmacy Scotland calls for reform of the smoking cessation service to ensure the access of the pharmacy network provides can be maximised and utilised by the public who wish to quit. They say this should include:
• National advertising of the smoking cessation service
• Increased collaboration with other smoking cessation service providers
• Revisiting the current service specifi cation to allow professional fl exibility to ensure the patient is at the centre of the service
• An increased focus on support for community pharmacies providing services in deprived areas
“We would urge Scottish Government to work with Community Pharmacy Scotland and other stakeholders to ensure that the ambitious vision for a Tobacco-free Scotland by 2034 is one that the pharmacy network can continue to play a fundamental role in achieving,” CPS conclude.
Pharmacy and SIGN Clinical Compact
Earlier this month witnessed the launch of the Pharmacy and SIGN Clinical Engagement Compact.
The Pharmacy and SIGN Compact is a partnership agreement between the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) within Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in Scotland, and the pharmacists who support a range of SIGN activities. It is designed to highlight the benefi ts for the pharmacists and their organisations of working with RPS, SIGN and HIS in addition to facilitating a clearer understanding about what is expected of all parties. This will ensure meaningful and sustainable relationships within clinical communities to take forward improvements to patient care.
Noreen Downes MRPharmS, MFRPSII who, alongside Alan Timmins MRPharmS, FFRPS represents RPS members and the wider pharmacy profession on the SIGN Council, said, “The Compact emphasises the benefi ts pharmacists can gain in terms of professional development by participating in guideline work for example around contributing to and infl uencing national clinical practice, strengthening the recognition of their expertise, and expanding professional networks across NHS Scotland and beyond.
Pharmacy funding increases by 1.4%
Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) has announced a 1.4% increase in the global sum to just over £177 million after “long and diffi cult negotiations”.
The community pharmacy funding settlement for 2015-16 has now been fi nalised and the remuneration Global Sum for 2015-16 has been reset to £177.359m.
This represents an increase of 1.44% over the previous year’s fi gure.
CPS outlined the main points as per below. The margin sharing arrangements have been updated and will be reviewed quarterly to deliver cash fl ow predictability and
4 - SCOTTISH PHARMACIST
Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Chief Pharmacist, Laura McIver
“There are also signifi cant benefi ts for pharmacists’ employers such as building leadership within local teams and national recognition as a healthcare organisation committed to supporting quality improvement.”
The Compact will be promoted via Pharmacy Special Interest Groups and the Directors of Pharmacy over the next few months. This is a further step in strengthening pharmacy participation across Healthcare Improvement Scotland activities, for example the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, Scottish Medicines
greater stability for contractors.
Claw back rates will be reviewed and updated as required each quarter. For items included in Part 7 the claw back rate for July – September will be 3%. For non-Part 7, non ZD items the claw back rate has been set at 5.19% for June – August 2015.
The value of the Dispensing Pool increases to £6m per month with effect from 1st July (£72m annually).
The value of the guaranteed minimum target income for ESPs rises by 1.44% to £3,084 pm with effect from 1st July.
The Q & E payment threshold will rise to 90% in the dispensing month of August 2015. Any contractor who does not achieve a 90% rate for July 2105 dispensing will receive no Q & E
payment for August dispensing (paid October 2015)..
The arrangements for the Operations and Development payment have been rolled forward for the next quarter July – September 2015
Further discussion on any change to the detail of the remuneration arrangements which will apply from October 2015 will now take place. CPS Chief Harry McQuillan told
Consortium, the Area Drug and Therapeutic Committee Collaborative, and Scrutiny and Inspection work streams.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Chief Pharmacist, Laura McIver said of the Compact, “We have a Clinical Compact for all healthcare professionals who collaborate in the work of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, but this takes the work further by clearly describing the unique and valuable contribution pharmacists make to the SIGN guideline development process.”
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