Pharmacists 'cannot act as agents'

Pharmacists who have withdrawn from State drug schemes are attempting to fill their customers’ prescriptions by attending HSE dispensaries themselves as a way of retaining customers, the HSE has said.

A HSE spokesperson said pharmacists cannot act as agents for clients by filling the prescriptions in HSE dispensaries and then using them for onward distribution. There has been a number of incidents whereby pharmacists have attended the dispensaries with bundles of prescriptions in attempts to fill them for their customers, a practice which is ‘absolutely unacceptable’, the HSE said.

According to the HSE, the best protocol to ensure best practice is for pharmacists who have withdrawn from State drug schemes to direct patients who are seeking medication they cannot dispense to the nearest participating pharmacy. Alternatively, patients can contact the HSE’s helpline at 1850 241 850.

The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) referred to the HSE’s policy not to allow pharmacists to act as agents for clients as ‘bully boy tactics’.

“Together with their totally inadequate contingency plans these actions by the HSE show the scant regard they have for the care and well being of patients all over the country. If Minister Harney and the HSE are really concerned about patient care and safety they will respond to calls by patient organisations for a mediator to be appointed,” Liz Hoctor, president of the IPU said.

The IPU has said there are widespread problems for patients across the country, adding that the HSE’s contingency plans for dispensing medicines are crumbling ‘under its first real test’.

Ms Hoctor said feedback from pharmacists show that there are major problems in Mayo, Donegal, Carlow, Waterford, North Dublin, Wexford, Kerry, Offaly, Clare and Galway.

“We forecast that there would be huge issues for patient service and care and now under the first normal day of service the HSE’s plans have been shown to be totally inadequate,” she said.

The IPU has also raised concerns about the safety of the HSE’s 10 temporary dispensaries set up around the country, saying that mistakes are being made and prescriptions are being filled incorrectly.

This afternoon, the IPU stressed that the situation is set to deteriorate further in the days ahead, with widespread delays and supply problems apparent. John Corr, chairman of the contractors committee of the IPU, said that the HSE does not realise the magnitude of the problems they are facing.

"Pharmacies which are continuing to dispense are coming under unsustainable pressure. Prescriptions are taking eight hours to fill, people are being told to come back tomorrow, the HSE’s own emergency pharmacies do not have a lot of common medicines in stock. Another aspect we are concerned about is the fact that the emergency dispensaries are refusing to fill prescriptions for patients from certain areas," Mr Corr said.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael health spokesperson, Dr James Reilly TD, has called on both sides of the dispute to scale back disruption for the sake of patients.

“It’s unacceptable that patients are the only group in the firing line in this dispute. Fine Gael cannot and does not approve of the pharmacists’ action, nor can we approve of the Minister’s current approach. I am calling on both sides to scale back the level of disruption in this dispute, so as not to endanger patients by interrupting the supply of medicines to the vulnerable, the sick and the chronically ill,” Dr Reilly said.

Dr Reilly called on the Taoiseach to appoint a mediator to resolve the dispute, particularly given that there is a dispute over the facts, with the IPU claiming that the pay cut amounts to a 34% reduction, while the Health Minister has said that it is at maximum a 24% cut.

“From the very outset, Fine Gael has supported Health Minister Mary Harney’s right to seek value for money for taxpayers and consumers. But we have grave reservations about her methodology, which is particularly confrontational,” Dr Reilly added, saying that changes should be phased in gradually.

[Posted: Tue 04/08/2009]