News in Brief

Cost Of A Pint
The 'shocking' cost of alcohol misuse in Northern Ireland was highlighted by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey in June after estimates that its cost to society equates to £679.8million with a range of £500million to £884million. "This research shows that the cost to the Health Service alone may be as high as around £160million each year with a further cost of £82million to Social Services,î the Minister said. ìThese figures are particularly pertinent in the context of my Departmentís very challenging financial situation because this is money that could be spent providing key frontline services."
 
Heart In Hands
The British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland is appealing to fundraisers to help it reach its target of £80,000 by August. The campaign is to recruit more heart nurses to support patients throughout the province and to reduce secondary care admissions.
 
Haiti Fundraising
Staff at Holly Villa in the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital have raised over £320 for a group who are travelling to Haiti in October to build houses following the earthquake. The Tyrone Haiti Build is a project in conjunction with the Haven Partnership to support those affected by the disaster.
 
Secondary Care Supported
A new hospital in Omaghs fight for funding has been supported by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. Speaking at a meeting with the Omagh joint liaison group, the Minister said: "I am fully committed to the development of the new Omagh hospital and will continue to press for the essential funding needed to make this a reality."
 
Commissioning Together
Pharmacists and GPs must work together to define the gaps in commissioning data, review how they can be filled and to determine the correct level of care provision for a particular area, according to Stephen Foster, the head of the new Healthcare Professionals Commissioning Network. The network is open to any health or social care professional who would like to engage in commissioning. tinyurl.com/HCPnetwork
 
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NPA Visit NI PDF Print E-mail
Written by Laure James - Editor Pharmacy in Focus   
Monday, 28 July 2008 14:00

5 Annadale Avenue recently hosted a round table meeting for the NPA, Pharmaceutical Contractors’ Committee and the Ulster Chemists’ Association. Representing the NPA were recently appointed chief executive John Turk and chairman Paul Bennett.

“Paul, who works for Boots and is also a member of the Board of the Company Chemists Group, allayed fears that the NPA, originally having been established to protect the interests of independents, was going to start prioritising multiples,” explained UCA president Paul McDonagh, who attended the meeting. “He assured us that the NPA had diversified and grown with the times, explaining that as chairman of the NPA, he would defend the interests of all members.”NPA Visit NI

Paul added that they also had an opportunity to talk about a replacement for Helen Rhodes, the NPA’s former NHS service development manager for Northern Ireland, who had made significant steps to help integrate services in the province. “The UCA had found Helen’s work to be extremely valuable and we are hoping to reinstate the same levels of engagement that Helen so capably provided,” he added. “Another representative from the NPA on the ground would be extremely helpful.”

NPA Insurance schemes for shops, cars as well as indemnity cover were also discussed, including any improvements for Northern Ireland. John and Paul both quizzed the organisations about proposed changes in Northern Ireland such as central tendering systems and how new contract negotiations were unfolding. “Overall the meeting went very well John and Paul had found it very beneficial and gained a lot from their visit,” Paul concluded. “We look forward to welcoming them to Northern Ireland again soon.”