THE HEALTH Service Executive has said that more than 850 pharmacies around the country will continue to dispense medicines under the community drug schemes next week despite a move by pharmacists to withdraw in a protest at Government plans to cut their fees.
However, it said that 762 pharmacists had served the HSE with a valid 30-day written notice of termination of their Community Pharmacy Contractor Agreement and would not operate the State drugs schemes from August 1st.
The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), which represents pharmacists, claims the number withdrawing from the scheme will be much greater than the HSE figure.
The planned cut in fees has been challenged by pharmacists in the High Court. Yesterday Ms Justice Mary Laffoy agreed to fix a date in November for the full hearing of the action, which is expected to last two weeks.
However, an application by the Haire group of pharmacies for an injunction to prevent the cuts going ahead may be heard later this week.
In a statement last night the HSE acknowledged that the withdrawal of pharmacies from the State schemes could cause inconvenience for patients. However, it said that “given the even spread of participating pharmacies across the country, nobody should be too far from a pharmacy that will be open for State Drugs Scheme business.
The list published by the HSE last night – and advertised in national newspapers today – shows that there will be 17 pharmacies continuing to operate the State drug schemes in Co Donegal, 25 in Kerry, 17 in Mayo, 10 in Leitrim and 8 in Roscommon.
The HSE is to establish its own pharmacy service in parts of Donegal, Kerry, Mayo and Roscommon under contingency plans to continue to provide drugs and medicines for patients.
A spokesman for the IPU said last night that based on information from its members, it believed that far more pharmacists intended to withdraw from the State drug schemes than currently estimated by the HSE.
The Government is seeking to cut fees and payments to pharmacists by about €133 million in a full year, although the IPU maintains that impact of the cuts could be around €169 million in a full year.
The HSE said that it had asked pharmacists who have chosen to terminate their contract to assist in ensuring minimal disruption to their patients and clients by providing relevant prescription records, on request by clients.
Meanwhile, registered pharmacists who work for pharmacy chains or for other pharmacists yesterday criticised the HSEs contingency planning.
Bernard Duggan, chairman of the employee pharmacists’ committee of the IPU said there was growing confusion over the HSE’s contingency plans.
He said that the there was insufficient detail being provided by the HSE. He said that with only four days to go before pharmacists withdrew services, patients still had not been provided with concrete information on exactly where, when and from whom they can obtain their medication from August 1st.