Pharmacy advice prevents 4 million GP visits

FREE patient advice and services provided by pharmacists reduced GP visits by almost four million and unnecessary attendances at accident and emergency departments by more than 500,000 in 2007, a report claims.

The independent report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers for the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), the representative body for 1,850 pharmacists across the country, puts the cost of non-remunerated services provided at €460 million.

The report on pharmacy services was released at an IPU seminar in Dublin yesterday and is aimed at giving further weight to the union’s bid to protect their patient services and maintain a viable profession.