Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 May 2022
425. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health his views that the shortage of qualified pharmacists to work in retail pharmacies is a critical skill shortage; the steps that will be taken to speed up the process in registering EU and non-EU pharmacists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21723/22]
View answerMy department has liaised with the PSI on this matter. The PSI is not involved in the recruitment of pharmacists. However, as the pharmacy regulator, it is appropriate for PSI to examine the topic of pharmacist workforce. They are aware through their work and through reports from stakeholders, of an increasing risk to the continued availability of a pharmacist workforce, with the concern being that the issue may be exacerbated into the future. In response, the PSI is undertaking a project, due to run across 2022-’23, ‘Emerging Risks to the Future Pharmacy Workforce’. In 2022, this project is set to “assess emerging risks to the continued availability of a professional pharmacy workforce within community and hospital pharmacy in Ireland”.
This is a complex problem with many contributing factors and multiple stakeholders. Workforce challenges are being experienced in other sectors nationally, and in the pharmacy sector in a range of other countries. However, robust data for Ireland is needed to be able to determine the current landscape, assess future health system needs and understand existing sectoral challenges now and into the future. It will be on the basis of gathering and analysing this up-to-date, robust and relevant data, that recommendations can be proposed to address Ireland’s needs for a pharmacist workforce in the future, as Ireland’s healthcare system evolves, and in the context of Sláintecare implementation.
The number of registered pharmacists on the Register of Pharmacists held and maintained by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), the pharmacy regulator has continued to grow steadily, with an average increase of 187 registrants each year over the past five years. 6846 pharmacists are currently registered with the PSI, under established processes based in Irish and EU law.
The processes underpinning the qualification recognition and registration in respect of EU-qualified and non-EU qualified, have defined timeframes.
- EU Route:
The legislative timeframes regarding qualification recognition for EU applicants are as follows:
- The European Professional Card (EPC) applications which are made via the IMI system have to be processed by the PSI, the competent authority for the purposes of the Professional Qualifications Directive, within 4 weeks. The legislation sets a tacit recognition date at 4 weeks from date application sent/accepted by the PSI. This date can be extended by 2 two week periods in the event of queries arising but the maximum period of time allowed under this method application is two months in total to process an application via the IMI system.
- If an application is made outside of the IMI system, the Professional Qualifications Directive has set a maximum timeframe of 3 months for the qualification recognition process to have been completed from the date of receipt of a valid application (i.e. all documentation having been received from and on behalf of the applicant) for applications benefitting from automatic recognition, and 4 months for applications subject to an individual assessment under the General System.
However, the Department understands that where an EU applicant presents the PSI with the required documentation for the purposes of qualification recognition and registration, the PSI generally completes the process well within the legislative timeframes.
- Non-EU Route (TCQR):
The current process comprises several stages. The regulator is currently undertaking a project to overhaul this route and to streamline it as much as possible, with the aim of having an improved TCQR route in place for January 2023. Notwithstanding any changes that may be implemented, the Department appreciates that the PSI must be able to verify the minimum standards required in order for an applicant to progress to registration, to be in a position to practise in a sector delivering irreversible patient care and treatment, in Ireland.
