Pharmacists ‘at breaking point’ due to 16-year freeze on HSE scheme fees

Around 80pc of community pharmacists’ time is devoted to state services in administering the community drug schemes, including those for people with medical cards, but for much of the month they are financially subsidising the service.

The new president of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), Tom Murray, said “the fees paid for providing this vital service have been frozen for 16 years, while every other service provider, professional and employee in the health sector has had increased payments”.

Pharmacists also highlighted worsening shortages of some medicines – including drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – and called for long-delayed legislation to be passed that would allow them substitute medications themselves.

Donegal-based Mr Murray told the organisation’s annual general meeting in Athlone that “as result of a draconian and regressive tiered fee structure, and in the face of rising costs, pharmacies are dispensing at a loss for significant portions of each month when providing state services”.

“As a result, every single pharmacy is now subsidising the State through their private business.” he said.

“This is unsustainable and cannot continue.

“The IPU is calling for a reasonable dispensing flat fee structure of €6.50.

“After 16 years of a pay freeze, this is a reasonable ask, particularly considering that in 2008 an independent review recommended €7.50.”

More than 90pc of pharmacists have reported burnout from the increased administrative burdens and red tape they face on an ongoing basis.

Mr Murray welcomed an expert taskforce that is looking at the future of pharmacy, saying it was a milestone moment.

Earlier, pharmacists questioned Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on delays in introducing new powers for pharmacists that would ease the pressures faced by patients due a shortage of some medicines.

Medicine shortages are getting worse and impacting patients with a range of conditions including people with ADHD, eczema and diabetes, the pharmacists warned.

The issue is a global problem and it has got worse in the last year. A survey of pharmacists found certain steroid creams used to treat eczema, ADHD medication and Ozempic – the jab licensed to treat diabetes – were in “short supply”.

Clare Fitzell, IPU’s head of strategic policy said the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 is currently before the Oireachtas and this will allow pharmacists to appropriately substitute medicines for patients without needing to revert to the prescribing doctor. “This should dramatically speed up the process for both pharmacists and prescribers and crucially, will ensure that patients get appropriate medicines quicker,” she said.

Addressing the conference, Mr Donnelly said he planned to have the legislation through all houses of the Oireachtas in four weeks.