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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 24 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 5

Written Answers. - Drug Treatment Services.

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

309 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give a breakdown, by postal district area, of the number of pharmacies in the Dublin region which participate in the methadone maintenance programme. [23158/00]

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

311 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of pharmacies which are participating in the methadone maintenance programme; and if he is satisfied with this level of participation as a percentage of all pharmacies. [23160/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 and 311 together.

The provision of drug treatment services in the eastern region is the statutory responsibility of the eastern regional health authority and the three area health boards. The authority has raised the matter with the methadone treatment list based at Trinity Court, Pearse Street, and I am advised that 144 pharmacies are participating in the methadone protocol in the Dublin region with a total of 160 pharmacies in the eastern region.

There are 216 pharmacies participating in the methadone protocol nationwide. In areas outside Dublin pharmacies participate in the programme as the need arises. In the eastern region, the three area health boards are working to involve as many pharmacies in the protocol as possible. Three liaison pharmacists have been appointed who, as part of their job description are actively involved in this process. Further patients could be referred from central services if more general practitioners and pharmacists became involved in treatment of drug misusers in their own local areas. I would therefore encourage more pharmacies to become involved to ensure that the numbers receiving treatment in the community is spread among a large number of pharmacies.

The information requested by the Deputy in relation to a breakdown of pharmacies by postal district is currently being collated and will be forwarded to him in a few days.

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

310 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will give details of any further encouragement, financial or practical, being offered by his Department to pharmacies to participate in the methadone maintenance programme. [23159/00]

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

312 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the current rates paid by the State to pharmacies to participate in the methadone maintenance programmes do not make it a profitable area for business. [23161/00]

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

313 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on whether there would be an increase in the number of addicts being treated if greater encouragement was given to pharmacists to participate in the methadone maintenance scheme. [23162/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 310, 312 and 313 together.

A payment structure and appropriate fees for pharmacists involved in dispensing methadone was agreed between my officials and the Irish Pharmaceutical Union at the commencement of the methadone protocol scheme in 1998, following the introduction of the methadone (Supervision of Prescription and Supply of Methadone) Regulations, 1998. I am satisfied that this payment is fair and in keeping with other health board schemes.
In addition, pharmacists are provided with support and advice through a liaison pharmacist based in each area health board in the area of the Eastern Regional Health Authority and through regional drugs co-ordinators in other health boards. The liaison pharmacists communicate also with other pharmacists who are not providing services at present in order to encourage them to become involved. The methadone protocol scheme also has the full support of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland and the Irish Pharmaceutical Union.
I would point out to the Deputy that since the introduction of the scheme in 1988 the number of pharmacies participating has increased significantly and now stands at 160 for the eastern regional health authority administrative area. More drug users could be treated if there were more pharmacists involved in the protocol. It is important to have as many pharmacists as possible involved in order to spread the availability of services, particularly in terms of the number of locations available.
Of course my Department is always anxious to explore ways of encouraging more pharmacists to participate and if the Deputy has any suggestions to make in this regard I will gladly arrange to have them considered.
Question No. 311 taken with Question No. 309.
Questions Nos. 312 and 313 taken with Question No. 310.

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

314 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will bring to the attention of other agencies and the Garda the importance of participation for pharmacists in the methadone maintenance scheme; and if he will ensure that there is greater co-operation by the agencies involved. [23163/00]

The operation of the methadone protocol is contingent on support from general practitioners and pharmacists living in the locality of drug misusers. On publication of the protocol, it was circulated to a wide range of agencies including An Garda Síochána and voluntary and community groups. Support of all agencies involved in drug demand reduction is an essential element in the success of the protocol.

My Department has regular contact with the national drugs strategy team and the local drugs task forces which has representation from the gardaí and other agencies. All of these bodies are aware of the importance of the methadone protocol and in particular the importance of the role played by general practitioners and community pharmacists.

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

315 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the grant made available for pharmacists to participate in the methadone maintenance scheme makes provision for modification of a premises and infrastructure but not for additional cost incurred in relation to security. [23164/00]

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

316 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make additional grant incentives available to pharmacists who opt to participate in the methadone maintenance scheme; and if he will, in particular, make a specific financial provision for security at pharmacists' premises. [23165/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 316 together.

The nature of the business being conducted in pharmacies, in dealing with a wide range of controlled drugs, makes it essential that all pharmacies would make provision for security, regardless of the specific drugs concerned. All pharmacies, therefore, should already have good security systems in place. The grant, referred to by the Deputy, is intended to help pharmacists in the provision of additional security facilities where these are required.

During 1999 a capital grant of up to £2,000 was made available to pharmacies involved in the methadone protocol to allow them to cater for supervised dispensing of methadone in their premises. The grant covered such items as minor structural alterations but could also cover additional security equipment or a larger drug safe. Each grant application was assessed by a liaison pharmacist employed by the health board in consultation with health board officials. The availability of the grant was publicised throughout the health boards. It was also publicised by the Irish Pharmaceutical Union in its general memorandum to members in January 1999 and again in May 2000. Earlier this year the grant was increased to £5,000 and pharmacies in the greater Dublin area have been informed of this through the liaison pharmacists.

I am satisfied that the current grant of £5,000 is reasonable in the circumstances.

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

317 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children the figures available from health boards for the number of attacks on pharmacists or their staff members by drug addicts involved in methadone maintenance; and, in particular, the figures for the Dublin area in this regard. [23166/00]

I have been informed by the health boards outside the eastern region that there have been no reports of attacks on pharmacists or their staff members by drug addicts involved in methadone maintenance. With regard to the eastern region, I have been informed that there have been no attacks reported to the east coast and northern area health boards. The south western area health board has advised me that one attack has taken place on a pharmacist by a client who had recently been removed from a treatment programme.

The Deputy should be aware that an attack on a pharmacist may not be reported to the health board but to the gardaí and he may wish to seek further information from my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Conor Lenihan

Ceist:

318 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he can give figures for the amount of money spent by the State on the methadone maintenance programme; and if he can further break down this spending for each of the Dublin postal district areas. [23167/00]

Since 1996 a total additional sum of some £24 million has been allocated by my Department to drugs and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services in health boards. In the eastern regional health authority, where the majority of drug misusers reside, the total budget for drugs and AIDS services in 2000 is over £22 million.

It is not possible to give exact figures for the cost of methadone maintenance as funding is provided to cover all aspects of drug treatment including counselling, urine sampling, treatment, of abscesses etc. However, figures from the general medical services payments board for the cost of the methadone treatment scheme in 1999 and 2000 are as follows. This funding relates to payments made to doctors and pharmacists.

Year

Total

1999

£3.09m

2000 (Jan-July)

£2.52m

A breakdown by postal district area is not yet available but I will send it to the Deputy as soon as I receive it.
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