Pharmacists face courts if contracts broken

PHARMACISTS who withdraw from community drug schemes on March 1 could face legal action for breach of contract.

According to the Health Service Executive (HSE), pharmacists are obliged to give three months notice of intention to withdraw from the schemes under their contract terms.

Last night, a HSE spokesperson warned they could seek an injunction to prevent pharmacists withdrawing from the schemes which include the medical card scheme (GMS), the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS), the Long Term Illness Scheme (LTI), the High Tech Medicines Scheme, and Methadone Treatment Programme.