Drug Treatment Programmes Policy

Thursday, 27 February 2014

Questions (261)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

261. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health if an agreement is in place between local pharmacies and the Health Service Executive regarding the dispensing of methadone to drug users (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10186/14]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

The methadone protocol scheme, which is an agreement between Community Pharmacists, Primary Care GPs and the HSE to provide services to drug misusers in community based settings, was introduced in Ireland in 1998.

As of 31 December 2013, there were 628 Community Pharmacists involved in the Methadone Protocol Scheme nationally.