Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I did not see that provision in the Bill. Fine Gael would have preferred the Minister to have established a public patient safety authority, which would have given patients a stronger voice and better safeguards.

Conflict of interest is a key issue for this Bill. A doctor centre will open in Carlow presently which will include a pharmacy. We need to ensure that any pharmacy located in a doctor centre will not give rise to a duty-free type of scenario. In airports, passengers must pass through duty-free shops to reach their terminals. Patients should have the option of remaining with their family pharmacists if they so wish. At present, a prescription is valid for any pharmacy in the country. If I visit a doctor in Carlow today, I can fill my prescription in Donegal tomorrow. However, many people are not aware of that. I am aware that the HSE is introducing guidelines with regard to clearly stating on prescriptions that they can be filled anywhere. As we move to primary care teams in which doctors and specialist therapists share buildings with pharmacies, we must ensure the pharmacy has a separate entrance because patients should not be required to pass through it to access the building. It also must be made crystal clear to patients that they are not under an obligation to buy the drugs in the pharmacy and they have the right to choose any pharmacy they wish.

Clarification is needed regarding nursing staff who are permitted to prescribe drugs. Given that they have not prescribed drugs thus far, will the Minister clarify why that is the case because I expected that to have happened by now?

Private sector interests are looking on with interest as the legislation is debated and they will be keen to know that the amendment to be tabled by the Government on the conflict of interest issue is not vague. They would like clear guidelines to be drafted and they do not want the issue to be adjudicated on by the IPU because that could cause problems down the line. Clarity is needed on the Government amendment and that is why I am keen to see it as soon as possible.

I refer to the number of medical cards in the State, which is linked to this legislation, because the number of patients attending doctors who do not have medical cards has reduced. The original target was that 40% of the population would have medical cards and the percentage is nowhere near that currently. Those aged over 70 automatically qualify for the medical card and that has distorted the figures. What percentage of the population has medical cards, excluding those aged over 70?