Community Pharmacy Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2018

Tuesday, 6 November 2018

Questions (743)

John Brassil

Question:

743. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the reason cuts to the wholesale margin of products sold by pharmacists have not been considered as income in reviews conducted by his Department into the operation of FEMPI (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45803/18]

Written answers

Minister for Health

The 1996 Memorandum of Agreement between the Minister for Health and the Irish Pharmacy Union sets out the arrangements under which community pharmacy services are provided to public patients. The Agreement itself does not specify fees or mark-ups, other than “in accordance with such rates as may be approved or directed by the Minister from time to time after consultation with the Pharmaceutical Contractors Committee [of the IPU]”.

Section 9 of the 2009 Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, as amended by the 2015 Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, provides that, despite existing enactments or contractual or other arrangements, the Minister for Health may, by regulation made with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, vary payments to health professionals for services provided to or on behalf of a health body.

Section 9(13) of the 2009 Act requires me, as Minister for Health, to carry out an annual review of the amounts and rates set by regulation for contracted health professionals. As Minister, I must consider the appropriateness of the amounts and rates, in line with criteria set out in section 9.

The most recent review, carried out in June 2018, noted a 14% increase in the number of pharmacy contracts between 2008 and 2017 and a 13% increase in the number of items dispensed through the community drug schemes in the same period. I concluded that the current rates for pharmacy services are appropriate.

I consider that changes in contractor payments should be linked to Government priorities for the health service and service expansion or contractual developments and based on available resources.