BUNCRANA-based
Councillor Pádraig MacLochlainn has called on the
Health Minister to directly intervene directly to
avert a “looming pharmacy chaos".
He made his call as more than 1,100 pharmacists
prepare to discontinue filling prescriptions under
the medical card and drugs payment schemes from
Saturday, August 1.
“The decision of Health Minister Mary Harney to
substantially reduce payments to pharmacists under
State drugs schemes has led to a sharp confrontation
in which the biggest losers will be ill people and
those on long-term medication and those whose
incomes are too low to pay for it in whole or in
part," said Cllr MacLochlainn.
From August 1, 1,100 individual pharmacists are due
to pull out of the medical card and drugs payment
schemes.
While the HSE plans to open community pharmacies as
an alternative dispensing mechanism, Cllr
MacLochlainn said they could not replace the
countywide network of local pharmacies.
“Minister Harney must intervene directly now to
avert this looming pharmacy chaos. She should enter
talks with the Irish Pharmacy Union to resolve the
dispute," said the councillor.
"It is widely accepted that State payments to
pharmacists under these schemes are very generous
and that reductions are necessary. The IPU itself
has stated that it is prepared to accept reductions.
There is clearly room to negotiate and to avoid the
August 1 action if the Minister has the will to do
so."
The town and county councillor added that Sinn Féin
had repeatedly called for action on issues such as
the over-prescription of drugs; proper monitoring
and regulation of prescriptions; the use of generic
drugs and the establishment of a Department of
Health division to ensure the State gets value for
money when dealing with pharmacies. |
