Survey: Up to 1,600 jobs lost in pharmacy sector

As many as 1,600 jobs have been lost in community pharmacies in the past nine months, according to new research.

Commissioned by the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), the research found that 300 pharmacists also lost their jobs, which they say is due to last summer's cuts in the sector

The IPU also claimed that patient services were being severely impacted because of reduced opening hours.

"The job losses were a direct consequence of the introduction last summer by the Minister for Health and Children of sweeping cuts in the payments to pharmacists for medicines dispensed under the community drug schemes," the IPU said in a statement.

"The introduction of the cuts led to severe disruption in pharmacy services, including the temporary closure of many pharmacies across the country last August."

Darragh O’Loughlin, Galway pharmacist and vice president of the IPU, said that the cuts had had a serious impact on patient services as pharmacies were being forced to reduce their opening hours and reduce services to patients.

He warned that services are likely to suffer more in the months ahead.

Mr O’Loughlin called on the Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney to revisit the decision she took last year to reduce pharmacists’ payments and to use the opportunity of the review she will be shortly undertaking to ensure that pharmacy services are adequately funded to meet the needs of patients.

The research was undertaken by PriceWaterhouseCoopers on behalf of the IPU and published today on the eve of the AGM of the IPU, which is being held tomorrow in Mullingar.