As my Department has only recently received the research to which the Deputy refers, I am not yet in a position to comment on its conclusions. However, I understand that officials from my Department will be meeting representatives of the Irish Patients Association to discuss their concerns.
The relevant contractual obligations are: clause 9 of the community pharmacy contractor agreement between health boards and community pharmacists provides, in the state drug schemes, for a review by the pharmacist of a patient's medicine therapy. This review includes screening for potential drug therapy problems, therapeutic duplication, drug-drug interactions, incorrect drug dosage or duration of drug treatment, drug allergy interactions and clinical abuse or misuse, and advising patients on these and other issues, such as the importance of compliance and proper storage of medicines. Clause 11 of the general medical services contract between general practitioners and health boards requires the medical practitioner to accept clinical responsibility for, and to treat, people on his or her list who need medical treatment or, where appropriate, transfer them to appropriate consultant care and accept clinical responsibility for them on becoming aware of their discharge from consultant care. Clause 18 of the contract requires the medical practitioner to prescribe such drugs and medicines as he or she considers necessary for any person on his or her list, and to co-operate in the operation of the national drugs formulary issued by the Minister with the agreement of the Irish Medical Organisation.
