Harney reassures pharmacy customers

Minister for Health Mary Harney today moved to reassure patients that they will not suffer as a result of the dispute over payments to pharmacists.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) plans to cut payments to pharmacists dispensing medicine under the community drugs scheme.

It will introduce measures to reduce the wholesale price of drugs paid to pharmacies from 18 per cent to 7 per cent on Saturday in a bid to cut costs by €100 million a year. This will result in a reduced mark-up for pharmacies dispensing medicines under the Drugs Payment Scheme to medical card holders and other patients.

Pharmacists claim the move will result in 300 of them going out of business and lead to a reduction in the level of service to patients.

The Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) today warned pharmacists may withdraw from the schemes as "there is no prospect of finding an agreed resolution". It has called an emergency meeting for next week.

However, its president Michael Guckian said members should continue dispensing medicines from Saturday. "If all efforts to resolve the matter through a negotiated process fail, then members' only options are to take what is given to them or to review their continued participation in the contract with the HSE for the provision of medicines under the community drugs schemes," Mr Guckian said.

The IPU would continue to seek a resolution to the dispute, he added.

Ms Harney told the Dáil patients would not be refused medicines when the new scheme comes into place this weekend. She said pharmacists were required to give three months' notice if they are to withdraw from the contracts they have with the HSE.

"I understand two pharmacies in the entire country have said that they will not dispense to medical card patients on Saturday," she said. The HSE had promised her that if any patient cannot get access to their medication, it will ensure that they get it.

The Minister also dismissed claims pharmacists would end up being charged more for drugs than they will receive in compensation from the HSE. "That is not the case," she insisted.

Last week, Ms Harney established an independent body, chaired by former IDA Ireland head Sean Dorgan, to examine the dispute.

The body, which is due to report back by the end of May, has been asked to recommend a new community pharmacy dispensing fee after taking submissions from all sides. An Oireachtas committee has also been hearing all-party submissions on the issue.

Fine Gael's health spokesman Dr James Reilly argued today the HSE should wait for the body's report before unilaterally introducing the new charges. He also accused the HSE of trying to "bully" pharmacists into accepting the new arrangements

Labour's health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan also called for a postponement, arguing that pharmacists were being denied fair process, while Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin accused Ms Harney of refusing "to address this issue in any substantive way."