Pharmacists report slow progress in talks

PHARMACISTS who called off a protest against cuts in community drugs scheme payments on the promise of negotiations with health service bosses say progress since then has been slow.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) said its members would hear the issues at the heart of the dispute are “far from resolved” at tomorrow’s AGM.

Almost 1,000 pharmacists were due to stop dispensing drugs under the medical card and drugs subsidy schemes on May 1st in protest at cuts in the reimbursement payments they receive from the Health Service Executive (HSE).