Patients urged to stock up on medication

PATIENTS in need of medication under community drugs schemes are advised to fill their prescriptions today ahead of an emergency meeting of pharmacists in Dublin tomorrow.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) said the meeting is likely to cause the closure of some pharmacies in the morning and early afternoon as pharmacists from around the country gather in emergency session ahead of a planned withdrawal from all community drugs schemes on August 1.

The pharmacists’ action is in response to the Government’s decision to reduce fees paid to pharmacists under a variety of community drugs schemes in a bid to save €55 million by the end of the year and €133m in a full year.

Pharmacists claim this will result in an average loss in income of 34% and the closure of some pharmacies with the possible loss of up to 5,000 jobs. A number of pharmacists are to commence legal proceedings against the decision to reduce their fees.

The fee reduction under the GMS (medical card), the Drug Payment Scheme, the Long-Term Illness Scheme and other community drugs schemes was made possible under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009, effective from July 1.

However the legislation included a clause allowing individual healthcare providers opt out of a reduced fee scheme with 30 days’ notice, and according to the IPU, 1,100 pharmacists have copied letters to the union indicating their intention to do so.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) claims the figure is 800 pharmacists.

The HSE is currently drawing up contingency plans to ensure continued access for those who require medicines under the State Drugs Schemes including the establishment of HSE-operated pharmacies.

It said it had written to pharmacists asking them to give patients and clients their patient records where requested.

HSE chief pharmacist Kate Mulvenna said: “We are asking pharmacists who have chosen to terminate their contract to assist us in ensuring minimal disruption to patients who need access to their medications.

“By handing over prescription records to their clients, on request, and by identifying to the HSE patients who may require extra supports, pharmacists can help ensure that their clients can continue to access their medications.

“Our advice to people who are concerned about where they can get their medication after August 1 is to ask their local pharmacist if they will be withdrawing services or if they will be continuing to provide a service to them.

“If they are withdrawing services, individuals can ask for their records and transfer to another pharmacy in the locality or to a HSE pharmacy which we will be setting up in locations around the country, as required.

“Further information on which pharmacists will be continuing to operate the schemes after August 1 will be made available to the public in the coming days.”

In addition, pharmacists who have chosen to terminate their contract have been asked to give Drug Payment Scheme patients details of the payments they have made up to the termination date of the contract.

The HSE has invited pharmacies in the North to consider dispensing medicines to its medical card patients in border counties from the beginning of next month.

However, the HSE was unable to say yesterday how many expressions of interest it has received to date. It is also unable to supply a definitive list of which pharmacists will continue to operate community drugs schemes.

The HSE helpline – 1850241850 – was also not in a position to say which pharmacies would continue to provide the service.

However, when contacted by the Irish Examiner, a spokesman for Boots Pharmacists said they would not be withdrawing services.

There are more than 50 Boots outlets around the country.

Yesterday, a spokesperson for the IPU said they had written to Health Minister Mary Harney seeking a meeting “but there had been no contact since the cuts were announced on June 18”.