Pharmacists are the victims of media bias

I WAS dismayed but not surprised to read your report (September 12) regarding the HSE breaking its contract with pharmacists. It was typical of the anti-pharmacist bias which seems to be all too prevalent in Irish journalism.

The headline gave the impression that pharmacists would be responsible for cutbacks in the health services due to the HSE being forced to give back payments it illegally deducted. If there are cutbacks, the blame lies with the HSE and the Government for their mismanagement of the country’s finances.

The Irish Pharmacy Union has always shown its willingness to talk, but the HSE refused pharmacists the right to be represented by their union. Now that breach of contract has been proved, the HSE is being forced to do what it originally should have done — sit down and negotiate with pharmacists.

Rather than focusing on the facts of the court case, the report then goes on to claim pharmacists were defrauding the HSE by negotiating trading terms with their suppliers.

Judge Finlay Geoghegan ruled that the only ‘fraud’ committed was by the HSE in breaking its contract and illegally reducing payments to pharmacists.

John Mulcahy MPSI

118 Main Street

Mallow

Co Cork