Pharmacists have again warned they may withdraw from the provision of services to medical card holders unless the Health Service Executive agrees to negotiate with their union on a new fee structure.
Members of the Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU) attended an emergency meeting in Tullamore yesterday and afterwards the union's president, Michael Guckian, said: "Many pharmacists here today have told us that they may be left with no option but to consider withdrawing from various schemes, if their right to be properly represented at the negotiation table is not restored".
The row stems from a letter to the IPU from the Health Service Executive last month in which the executive stated that for it to negotiate fees with the union in future on behalf of its members would be in breach of competition legislation and could be regarded as price-fixing. It said it was acting on legal advice.
But the IPU, which represents 1,600 community pharmacists, says its legal advice differs from that obtained by the HSE.
Mr Guckian said members attending yesterday's meeting expressed outrage and anger at what they saw as a challenge by the HSE to their right of representation by a trade union in negotiations with Government.
"The HSE's position is ludicrous and we totally reject it. It flies in the face of partnership and it is not acceptable to our members. For over 30 years pharmacists have delivered community drugs schemes on behalf of the State, which have served patients well," he said.
At present more than one million people are covered by medical cards and pharmacists are paid set fees by the State to dispense prescribed medicines to them.
Mr Guckian said members were not alone threatening to withdraw from dispensing drugs to medical card holders, but also from methadone treatment schemes, which benefit around 4,500 patients at present.
He urged Minister for Health Mary Harney to intervene in the dispute. "Otherwise, the risks to the one part of the health service that is actually working well cannot be overestimated," he warned.
The IPU is to meet the HSE and the Department of Health on Wednesday on the issue.