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Inishowen drugs crisis looms
07.07.09
by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
TWELVE Inishowen pharmacies have written to the
Health Service Executive informing it that they will
withdraw from dispensing drugs under the community
drugs schemes from August 1.
It means that local chemists will no longer dispense
drugs to medical cardholders or under the drugs
payment scheme. Instead, patients will have to pay
the full price for their prescriptions.
“It’s the last place we want to be,” said Liam
Grimley of Tierney’s Pharmacy in Buncrana. “We can
accept an 8% reduction in fees like other healthcare
professionals, but this 34% reduction will put many
shops out of business and cost jobs.”
“We have advised patients to get in additional
supply for August,” he continued. “The last thing we
want is for patients not to have access to their
drugs.” |
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Around 1,100 of the
Republic’s 1,500 pharmacists, including all
Inishowen pharmacists and nearly every one in
Donegal, will withdraw from the scheme at the end of
the month. Only major chains, such as Boots, have
been amenable to the Minister’s new proposals.
The Irish Pharmaceutical Union has sought to meet
with Minister for Health Mary Harney to avoid the
crisis. Minister Harney says the cuts have to be
made in light of the recession and will save |
€133 million in a full
year.
“There’s no reason the Minister cannot meet with our
representatives, negotiate properly and thrash this
out,” Mr Grimley said. “We took and won a court case
against the Minister when she attempted this last
year and she seems to have targeted us again. But
I’m not concerned with what politicians or the media
think of our campaign. We’re disappointed that the
HSE and Department of Health don’t value what we do
in the community. We are often a first point of
contact for people who need to access the health
service. But our patients on the ground know the
true value of what we do.” |
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