Departmental Correspondence

Thursday, 29 June 2023

Questions (418, 437, 438)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

418. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Health If he will provide clarification on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31761/23]

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437. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Health if he has engaged with an organisation (details supplied) as he is obliged to do under Public Pay and Pensions Act 2017 legislation, to review the nature of community pharmacies services before the end of June 2023; the reasons for the delay in meeting the organisation and the lack of response to requests for a meeting from the organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31881/23]

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Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

438. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Health if he will respond to concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31882/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 418, 437 and 438 together.

I recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of healthcare service reform.

In that regard, various approaches to extending the scope of practice of community pharmacists are being progressed by my Department. The implementation of these necessitates engagement with a range of stakeholders and full consideration of all the relevant legislative and operational issues involved.

The regulations governing the pharmacy fee structure are set out in the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (No. 34 of 2017) and in S.I. No. 639 of 2019, the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (Payments to Community Pharmacy Contractors) Regulations 2019, which put the current fee structure in place, with effect from 1 January 2020.

Under Section 42(14) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 the pharmacy fee structure must be reviewed every third year after 2020. My Department is currently carrying out a review and Department officials have held a meeting with the Irish Pharmacy Union in that regard.

I believe that there is a real opportunity to work collaboratively with community pharmacists, and with other healthcare providers, to make a significant difference to patient outcomes. Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.