Harney appeals to pharmacists to provide full services

Health Minister Mary Harney is again appealing to pharmacists who have contracts with the HSE to provide full services to patients on the community drugs scheme.

Pharmacists' representatives following a specially-convened meeting this morning said a resumption of normal pharmacy services did not appear in sight, but did signal willingness to meet Minister Harney to further discuss the issue.

Around 1,100 pharmacists have withdrawn from dispensing medication under the schemes after the payments they receive for operating the programmes were slashed by over €100m.

The IPU has called on Minister Harney to appoint an independent mediator in an effort to resolve the row, now entering its second week.

She has firmly ruled this out and says there will be no policy change, but speaking this morning she said she is willing to meet the IPU to discuss the future and development of pharmacies here.

The Executive Committee of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) met this morning in a special meeting to discuss the pharmacy crisis.

The IPU in a statement following the meeting expressed “grave concern” at what it called "the failure of the HSE’s contingency planning and the threat to patient safety which had arisen during the past week".

IPU Presidend Liz Hoctor said that the Executive regrettably did not believe that a resumption of normal pharmacy services was likely at this time.

Ms Hoctor however acknowledged that the Minister had today offered to meet with the Union and confirmed that the union will make itself available for that meeting.