HSE: Pharmacists will put patients’ health at risk by withdrawing from schemes

THE HSE last night accused pharmacists who withdraw from the medical card and community drugs schemes of placing their patients’ health at “considerable risk”.

With 567 out of about 1,600 community pharmacists threatening to pull out of the schemes by on May 1 in a row over payments, the HSE said the pharmacists were expected to have “due regard” to their “overriding duty of care to their patients”.

The HSE also said just two community pharmacy contractors have so far formally withdrawn from the public schemes.