Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 June 2023
174. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Health if he will engage in talks with community pharmacies and their representative body (details supplied) on a restoration of the dispensing fee to a flat-rate model, a pay restoration in line with public sector pay agreements, and reimbursement for the ever-increasing administrative burden they face; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29905/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra202. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Health if he will meet with community pharmacists and their representatives in advance of the statutory deadline of 30 June contained in the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017. [30045/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra205. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 1212 of 13 June 2023, when his Department will communicate with an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30049/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 202 and 205 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 current pharmacy fee structure must be reviewed every third year after 2020. My Department is currently carrying out a review and Department officials have arranged to meet 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.
