Manchester Updates
Manchester – Healthy Start Vitamins: Universal offer for women and children
Manchester now has a universal offer to women and children using the below clinical criteria so that they can all receive free vitamins.
In Manchester women and families no longer have to be on benefits to be eligible to receive the free vitamins.
Pharmacies do not need to receive a voucher or see the Healthy Start prepaid card before they supply the vitamins.
When you are claiming for a supply transaction on PharmOutcomes you can click the option “no voucher required” so that you can claim for all transactions.
The clinical criteria is:
Women can have Healthy Start vitamin tablets while they’re pregnant and up to their baby’s 1st birthday. Children can have free Healthy Start vitamin drops from birth until their 4th birthday. Babies who are having 500ml or more of formula a day do not need Healthy Start vitamins.
The universal offer only applies in Manchester, the national scheme is unchanged.
If you have any questions or need to order vitamins, email ruth.helen@manchester.gov.uk or phone 07960 728409
Manchester: Community Pharmacy Interpretation and Translation Services
The Big Word is no longer available for interpretation and translation services within the Manchester
Locality. Silent Sounds continues to provide interpretation and translation services for Manchester Primary Care services. The access details for Silent Sounds can be found here, please ensure these are shared with all relevant colleagues.
Various Telephone numbers to access the services are also included below:
Pharmacies with a PIN call: 01494 855 331 (24 hours)
Pharmacies/Optoms/Dental without a PIN are to call: 01494 796030 (Monday to Friday 8am-6pm) and 0765187270 out of hours. This mobile number can also be used for deaf patients who would prefer text translation, and for face time use.
Other telephone Contacts: Core Business Hours (Monday to Friday 8am-6pm) – contact via 01494 796 030, Out of Hours 07765 187 270, Telephone interpretation via 01494 855 331
Face-to-face and telephone appointment slots can also be booked online via: https://www.silent-sounds.co.uk/
Email queries can be sent to: Info@silent-sounds.co.uk (General Enquiries), Languages@silent-sounds.co.uk (Spoken Services), Bookings@silent-sounds.co.uk (Deaf Services), Translations@silent-sounds.co.uk (Translations)
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the NHS GM (Manchester) Primary Care Team (gmicb-mh.primarycare@nhs.net)
MHCC – Antiviral Access Points Service Specification
MHCC have published the Service Specification for the Antiviral service in Manchester. This specification is valid between September 2021 – November 2022. A review of the specification is due to take place in November 2022.
Click here to view the service specification
The Neighbourhoods Service Community Safety Team at Manchester City Council are requesting feedback from pharmacies who have or are signed up to participate with the ASK for ANI codeword scheme, please see further information below;
As you may remember you kindly supported us last year with raising awareness of domestic abuse during the first lock down and being a source of information for victims seeking help and support. Some of you may be familiar with and already be taking part in the Safe Space scheme. The Home Office has recently launched a further scheme to complement this work.
The ‘Ask for ANI’ scheme is intended to work alongside and build on this existing work, providing an additional tool that can be used to help people access support within the community. The premise of the scheme is that those in need of assistance can use the codeword ANI in participating pharmacies to let staff know that they require an emergency police response or help with contacting a helpline or specialist support service.
I wonder if you are aware of the scheme and if your pharmacy has signed up to take part? I would be particularly interested in hearing your feedback if you are participating in the scheme so I can share this with GMP, GMCA and Home Office colleagues, to help them refine and improve the scheme further. Please email me at Leanne.conroy@manchester.gov.uk
If you are not yet signed up but would like to take part in the scheme, details of how to sign up are contained in the link below, along with more information about the scheme.
https://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/0HK4AO/
Manchester Area Prescribing
Preferred medicine brands for Manchester: This summary explains which branded generics are the preferred options in Manchester.
Blood Glucose Meters: There has been a formulary update for type 2 diabetes patients only. This recommends that patients are switched to the following meters once they have used up their current stocks of strips:
- LifeScan – One Touch Select Plus
- Roche – Accu-check Performa Nano
- Ascensia – Contour Black Edition
Seven-day Prescriptions: The Manchester CCGs ‘7 day’ prescription policy is now available.
Kwells: As you’re probably aware there are supply issues with Kwells. Our mental health team often prescribe these for patients on Clozapine. If you have patients that you can’t supply to, please contact the prescriber who will prescribe an alternative.
Safeguarding
- Safeguarding Children’s Referral Form: Referral form with guidance to support completion.
- Early Help Hubs Referral Form: Referral form to be used when referring families for Early Help in Manchester. This is designed mainly for GP practices but may be of relevance.
- Manchester’s Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) operates a consultation line on 0161 219 2895 that partner agencies can call. Anyone considering making a referral can call this number to discuss any concerns about a child with a senior social worker within the MASH. The social worker will reference the Levels of Need Framework. Where the threshold for social work intervention is not met, the social worker will be able to have an informed discussion with the referrer and, where appropriate, advise that an Early Help Assessment is undertaken or direct the professional to the local Early Help Hub.
Other services
Children’s Community Nursing Team – support for children with health conditions
Palliative Care Pharmacy Providers & Stock List 2017
Manchester City Council Health and Wellbeing site – Useful for signposting
