Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 February 2024
505. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Health if he will consider investigating whether urinary tract infections can be tested for by pharmacists rather than GPs to reduce costs on patients and ease pressure on general practitioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5155/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for their question.
On 23rd July 2023, as the Minister for Health, I established an Expert Taskforce to support the expansion of the role of pharmacists in Ireland. The remit of the Taskforce is to identify and support the delivery of specific objectives, which will serve to align services and practices that can be delivered by pharmacists, and pharmacies, with the needs of the health service and patients.
The Taskforce submitted their initial recommendation and report at the end of October 2023. The initial recommendation will allow prescribers to write prescriptions with a maximum validity of 12 months if they so wish. Pharmacists will be enabled to extend the validity of prescriptions from the current maximum period of six months to 12 months. Work is ongoing within the Department of Health to implement this into practice.
The Taskforce continue to work together on Phase 2 - Empowering Pharmacists to Prescribe within their scope of Practice. It is expected that they will make a recommendation on this in the coming months which will alleviate the strain within primary care, improve access for patients and expand the scope of practice of pharmacists.
