Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)

I welcome this move, which is positive. Expanding the role of healthcare professionals in our community is fundamentally important. Let us be honest: this should have been done a long time ago. Offering, for example, screening programmes is a positive move, as is offering immunisations. The integration in the ehealth system is obviously positive and will help pharmacists deliver in their communities. I wish to be clear that it is important that this be delivered upon because too often we see the Government delivering flashy documents announcing positive things but its delivery is lacking. Recently, the Government announced the HRT scheme to much fanfare, many TikTok videos and many press releases, etc., and just a few weeks later, we see significant issues with the supply of those medications. It is important that this long-overdue initiative happen.

A particular issue is the strain on our healthcare system. In Mayo University Hospital, the emergency department is experiencing peak presentations. One of the reasons and drivers behind this is the fact that GP access has gone into freefall. That is what is happening. GP availability and primary care was one the key functioning aspects in our health service. It was one aspect of the health system that was working well, but in recent years we have seen that collapse. That has pushed a significant burden onto emergency departments across the country. A total of 40% of GPs across the country are over the age of 60. This problem will present itself in the most acute way in rural areas. Expanding the role of pharmacies across the country is fundamentally important. I urge the Minister to make sure this agreement is delivered upon and does not become just a flashy document that sits in a filing cabinet like so many other Government announcements. On the topic of GPs, we need to train more of them. I ask the Minister to consider also expanding the role of pharmacists, similar to the role in Britain.

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