Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 February 2024
170. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the status of his Department’s review of the pharmacy fee structure under section 42(14) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9608/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI 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 establishment of the Expert Taskforce to support the expansion of the role of pharmacists in Ireland is evidence of my commitment to that aim.
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 pharmacy fee structure must be reviewed every third year after 2020. My Department is carrying out a comprehensive review.
There has been constructive engagement between Department officials and the Irish Pharmacy Union to advance consideration of a range of initiatives to support an enhanced role of pharmacy, and this engagement is continuing.
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.
