NHS Care Services

Contract Preparation Payments 2008 - 2009

PCA(P)(2008) 20, PCA(P)(2009)1 and PCA (P) 2009 3 advised contractors on the programme of activities to be undertaken by contractors to prepare for the new pharmacy contract in 2008-9.The programme strands agreed with the Scottish Government for 2008-9 were:

To support the electronic transmission of the audit information and the claiming of the contract preparation payments the Scottish Government made available to all contractors Microsoft Office 2003.

Element/Strand A

Implementation of eAMS element of ePharmacy

The purpose of this CPP payment was to support contractors to integrate eAMS into their day to day practice. To qualify for payment contractors had to complete the following activities:

• Consider and implement any changes to working processes, including new eAMS housekeeping arrangements, in the pharmacy to support eAMS implementation

• Update standard operating procedures to include eAMS processes

• Brief pharmacy support staff (and locums) on the impact of eAMS on working practices and address any additional training requirements

Submit electronic claims wherever possible

In order to support contractor's additional information was provided in an ePharmacy Toolkit. This toolkit included:

• guidance on getting started

• a sample Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) detailing eAMS steps

• an outline of the ePay Road map

• advice on making electronic claims

• further advice on generic housekeeping arrangements

• a guide to work flow in the dispensary

Element/Strand B

Data Collection as Part of a Community pharmacy Work Force Audit

The purpose of this contract preparation strand was to undertake a baseline audit of the pharmacy contractor's staff and their qualifications. The audit supported NES in their identification of future training needs for Pharmacists and their support staff.

To ensure payment contractors had to complete the workforce audit form for all pharmacy support staff and pharmacists who provide pharmaceutical services from the premises.

It was decided that completed audits should reflect the workforce situation in each community pharmacy as at 1^st November 2008.

Element/Strand C

Data collection to inform an audit of the Minor Ailment Service (MAS) and Unscheduled Care support provided by contractors

The Minor Ailment Service has been in place since July 2006 it was agreed to conduct a limited term audit to identify the activity levels for all MAS interactions. The audit was carried out twice during 2008-9.

Information was collected using this excel spreadsheet on the number of patients within the specific time period to whom advice was provided by MAS providers, identifying also the therapeutic area concerned, and the number of patients referred on to another clinician.

This data collection exercise also included an audit of so called 'Unscheduled Care activity'. This was intended to identify both the number of patients receiving treatment under the National Patient Group Direction for Urgent Provision of Repeat Medicine by Pharmacists, and the number of presenting patients referred onwards for treatment by OOH.

Element/Strand E

Pharmacy Interventions Audit

The strand involved pharmacy contractors taking part in an audit of interventions on prescriptions during the week of Monday 16th March to Sunday 22nd March.

The audit supported the creation of a baseline in intervention numbers and range carried out by community pharmacy contractors on a daily basis. The audit also documented the clinical and legal role played by pharmacists to support patient safety.

The audit used this pharmacist intervention form to identify problems with prescriptions. Problems could range from illegal prescriptions, possible interactions and supply issues with the requested medicine.

Element/Strand F

eAMS Electronic Claims Incentivisation Payment

The purpose of Strand F was to incentivise community pharmacy contractors to maximise the rate of electronic claims using eAMS.

Contractors as part of this strand were expected to scan and claim electronically as many e-enabled GP10 prescriptions as possible. The Scottish Government agreed to a tiered payment which could be claimed over a two month period to support contractors who had only just received eAMS installation or have particular local difficulties for example a non-functioning GP practice.