Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 4 Feb 1997

Vol. 474 No. 3

Written Answers. - Methadone Service.

Tony Gregory

Question:

103 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health the number of pharmacies in Dublin city currently operating a methadone service; their location by postal district; and if a designated or named pharmacy is specified on the prescription issued by a general practitioner for methadone. [2949/97]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan

, Limerick East): Methadone can be prescribed through the general medical services for medical cardholders or on a private prescription for those attending a general practitioner on a private basis. It is not necessary to designate the name of a pharmacy on the prescription and any pharmacist can dispense methadone on foot of a properly presented prescription.

In the case of methadone prescribed through the general medical services it is possible to provide details of pharmacies by postal district and these are as follows:

Postal District	Number of Pharmacies
1	2
2	4
3	4
4	6
5	6
6	6
7	3
8	8
9	2
10	4
11	6
12	2
13	1
14	6
15	4
16	1
17	3
18	2
20	1
22	6
24	3

It is not possible to provide details of pharmacies which dispense methadone on private prescriptions. However a number of pharmacies are participating in the methadone pilot project. In accordance with the pilot scheme patients are provided with treatment cards which contain the names of the patient, general practitioner and pharmacist. Each card also has a photograph of the patients and the cards are held by the pharmacy for the duration of treatment. The location of these pharmacies by postal district is as follows:

Postal District	Number of Pharmacies
1	1
2	4
3	2
4	6
5	3
6	3
6W	1
7	2
8	4
9	1
10	4
11	2
12	1
14	2
16	3
22	1
24	2
Blackrock	1

The majority of these pharmacies are also pharmacies which operate in the GMS scheme.

A review is currently under way to examine the role of general practitioners and pharmacists in the provision of services for drug misusers. The review will examine present practice in relation to the prescribing and dispensing of methadone and will advise on how the present system can be expanded, with the appropriate controls, to encourage more doctors and pharmacists to become involved in the treatment of drug misusers.