Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 May 2000

Vol. 518 No. 6

Written Answers. - Drugs Refund Scheme.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

336 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason for the delay in coming to a decision on whether drugs prescribed from public hospitals are covered under the drugs refund scheme; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that out-patients with drugs expenses dating back to July 1999 are still unable to get a refund due to the fact that health boards have yet to receive clarification from his Department; the proposals, if any, he has to resolve this matter speedily; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12869/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The drug payment scheme is a community based scheme operated through community pharmacies. The rationale for this is to enable the community pharmacist to take responsibility for the total medicine therapy for patients and so promote the provision of total pharmaceutical care at community level. This facilitates the community pharmacist in reviewing the medicine therapy of the individual for whom the prescription is issued, including screening for any potential drug therapy problems such as therapeutic duplication and drug-drug interactions. Where patients are prescribed drugs at a hospital out-patients department it would be expected that these would normally be dispensed in a community pharmacy.

Health boards were asked to notify hospitals at the introduction of the drug payment scheme of the arrangement for the supply of medicines through pharmacies with a community pharmacy contractor agreement. I am aware, however, that some hospitals were not notified pending the finalisation of some details in relation to the scheme. My Department will be asking health boards to ensure that all hospitals are now made aware of the situation.