Mr. Dermot Twomey:

There are a number of things we need, which were identified in our survey from last year. We are happy to share that survey with the committee after the meeting. We need more pharmacists working in community pharmacy. We also need more pharmacists per pharmacy. If we are looking to provide services, many pharmacies will need two or even three pharmacists to do so.

Locum pharmacists provide an essential service, particularly covering when people are on holidays or sick. One of the key points of concern is that if a pharmacist is working regularly as a locum and not based in a particular pharmacy and building a relationship with the patients and cohorts he or she serves, the level of care may well suffer. There are many excellent locums out there and they are an essential part of the chain. However, we think it is imperative that there are more pharmacists working on a regular basis within the community to provide impactful and meaningful healthcare.