NHS Contractual queries and support

On this page you will information on contractual issues.

On 1st April 2023 NHSE delegated commissioning of pharmaceutical services to Integrated Care Boards (ICB).In the East of England, Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB host the team that are responsible for the contractual management of community pharmacy.

You can contact the local NHS regional area team on hweicbhv.pharmacy@nhs.net

The regional team can help with:

  • Pharmaceutical Services Regulations Committee
  • Applications for inclusion in or amendments to the pharmaceutical list (via Primary Care Support England (PCSE)
  • Maintain the Pharmaceutical list for East of England
  • Unscheduled closures
  • Issues with the waste contractual arrangements
  • Annual complaints return
  • Pharmaceutical pre-registration trainee applications
  • Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework (CPAF)
  • New Medicines Service (NMS) administration
  • Christmas and Easter Rotas
  • NHS mail applications

New Contractor Webinar GPhC, NHSE and CPE recently held a joint webinar aimed at new pharmacy owners. The slides contain some useful reminders and links for both new and more experienced contractors.

NHS England (NHSE) East Community Pharmacy Resource Guide
The guide is underneath the door posters.

NHSE Pharmacy Manual

Bank Holiday Opening

Make sure you have updated profile manager with your correct opening times for the bank holidays.

You can find a list of the drugs stocked by the pharmacies on the ICS website If possible the patient or representative should phone before travelling to the pharmacy.

Any regionally produced door posters can be found here.

Make sure the posters are displayed so they can be seen when your pharmacy is closed.

It is a Terms of Service requirement to verify and update the information in your nhs.uk and DoS profiles. This can be done using the profile manager – NHS Profile Manager – NHS Digital

Complaints and Practice Leaflet

It is a requirement that your practice leaflet includes details of how to contact the local ICB (the commissioner of pharmacy services).

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB 

By post: Patient Experience Team, NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB, Gemini House, Bartholomew’s Walk, Cambridgeshire Business Park, Angel Drove, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4EA

By email: cpicb.pet@nhs.net  If you are making a complaint, please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line.

More information on the practice leaflet requirements, including a template, is on the CPE website.

You can display this leaflet if you wish, but it doesn’t replace the requirement to have a practice leaflet.

complaints-flyer-06-07-23

Interpreting and Language Services

Interpreting and translation services are available for you to access on behalf of your patients to assist with NHS appointments and are funded by the ICB.

DALS for spoken languages – Award Winning Translation Agency | DA Languages
Language Empire for non-spoken languages – https://www.language-empire.net/

To make a booking please use the following contact details:

DALS 
Telephone interpreting: Service can be used by calling 0330 088 3443. Queries can be raised with telephoneinterpreting@dalanguages.co.uk

LANGUAGE EMPIRE
All bookings need to be requested via the online booking portal Login to LE LSM Client Portal (language-empire.net)  If you require confirmation of your login please e-mail bookings@empire-groupuk.com including the full pharmacy name and address.

Provider DALS – Spoken Languages Language Empire – Non-Spoken Languages
Interpreting Multi-lingual

  • Telephone
  • Spoken Video
  • Spoken Face to Face (Simultaneous, Consecutive and Whispering)
  • British Sign Language (BSL)
  • Irish Sign Language (ISL)
  • Foreign Sign Language
  • Deafblind Interpreters
  • Video Relay Interpreting Services
  • Cued Speech/Makaton
  • Deaf Relay (Intralingual language modification)
  • Lip speakers
Transcription
  • Medical records
  • Speech-to-text reporting (Palantypist)
  • Electronic and manual note takers
Translation
  • Written
  • Audio/Video recordings to written text
  • EasyRead
  • Pictorial English
  • Audio/Video recordings to written text
  • BSL (Written Text into Video)
  • BSL In-Vision Translations
  • Braille
  • Subtitles
  • EasyRead
  • Pictorial English

These services are for appointments where NHS treatment is provided and should not be used for private appointments

Patient Safety Incident Reporting

Pharmacies are required to record patient safety incidents and report them to the National Reporting and Learning Service (NRLS). Further information can be found on the CPE website

Performance Management

If you are contacted by the ICB regarding a contractual or performance issue you can request support or representation from the LPC. Contact us on – secretary@cambslpc.org.uk 

National Clinical Audit

Click here for the local antimicrobial treatment guidelines. This information is available on the NetFormulary website – http://www.cambridgeshireandpeterboroughformulary.nhs.uk/

Unplanned Closure

In the event that your pharmacy has to close unexpectedly you must inform the ICB  as stated in chapter 36 of the pharmacy manual. You will need to complete annex 18

Send the form to hweicbhv.pharmacy@nhs.net 

You will also need to update your NHS profiles page, so that NHS 111 does not direct patients to your pharmacy. This is especially important if you offer the CPCS service. The number to call can be found on annex c of your CPCS SOP.

It would also be helpful to contact your local pharmacies, surgeries and drugs teams.