Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 September 2018
133. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the conflicts that arise between the definition of temporary absence arrived at by an organisation (details supplied) with the permission of his Department for use with pharmaceutical assistants and public safety issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39156/18]
View answerThe Pharmacy Act 2007 creates a framework whereby patients and members of the public can expect that a pharmacist will be available and practising within a pharmacy when they visit to have medicines dispensed or to obtain advice on a health or medicines matter. The Act provides a robust structure of public safety assurance by requiring that the pharmacist is subject to mandatory CPD, Fitness to Practice, a Code of Conduct and a Core Competency Framework.
A clinical governance framework governing the operation of registered Retail Pharmacy Businesses is created by Sections 26, 27, 28 and 29 of the Pharmacy Act 2007, and Regulations made under Section 18 of the Act elucidates the specific responsibilities of the pharmacy owner, the superintendent pharmacist, the supervising pharmacist and the registered pharmacist.
Under the Pharmacy Act 2007 the sale and supply of medicinal products must be carried out by or under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist at all times. Section 30(1) of the Act allows however for an exceptional circumstance where a registered pharmaceutical assistant may act on behalf of a registered pharmacist during the temporary absence of the registered pharmacist.
In this context, Section 30 (2) permits the Council of the PSI, subject to the consent of the Minister, to make rules to provide further as to:
1. What may or may not be done by a registered pharmaceutical assistant when acting on behalf of a registered pharmacist; and
2. What constitutes the temporary absence of a registered pharmacist.
It is in the interest of good regulation, using the framework available, that the Council of the PSI has undertaken to propose the draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacist from Pharmacy) Rules 2018.
