Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for the opportunity to speak on this issue because it is important that we acknowledge the work of pharmaceutical assistants and what they have done for many years.

The Pharmacy Act 2007 established the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, PSI. The functions of the society are set out in the Act and are carried out on its behalf by the council of the society. The council is made up of 21 members, comprising lay members and pharmacists, with a non-pharmacist majority of one. Pharmaceutical assistant is a grade of pharmacy professional permitted under the Pharmacy Act 2007 to act on behalf of registered pharmacists during the temporary absence of the latter. For many decades, pharmaceutical assistants have played a valuable role in the community pharmacy through the provision of skilled assistance to registered pharmacists. I acknowledge that role.

Section 26 of the Pharmacy Act 2007 requires that a registered pharmacist be present always in a registered pharmacy when a member of the public attends, whether to have medicines dispensed or to receive advice regarding medicines or other health matters. Public assurance that safe and appropriate pharmaceutical care is always available in a registered pharmacy is based on this patient safety requirement. Section 30 of the Act provides for an exception to the general provision in the Act, which requires the sale and supply of medicines at a pharmacy to be conducted under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist and specifies that no offence is committed where a registered pharmaceutical assistant acts on behalf of a registered pharmacist during the temporary absence of the latter. Section 30 permits the council to make rules as to what may be done by a registered pharmaceutical assistant when acting on behalf of a registered pharmacist and what constitutes the temporary absence of a registered pharmacist.

Following a period of public consultation, the council of the PSI considered the proposed draft Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacists from Pharmacy) Rules 2018 at its meeting on 20 September 2018. The council approved the draft rules without amendment. Following this, the PSI undertook to redraft the rules on what may or may not be done by a registered pharmaceutical assistant when acting on behalf of the registered pharmacists. On 6 December, the council of the PSI approved a revised draft of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacists from Pharmacy) Rules 2018 for issuance for public consultation. This public consultation commenced on 13 December 2018 and ran until 11 January 2019, affording any interested party the opportunity to make representations on the matter directly to the PSI. At its meeting on 14 February 2019, the council of the PSI approved the draft rules subject to certain amendments made on foot of the council's consideration of the results of the latest public consultation. On 8 March 2019, the PSI submitted the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (Temporary Absence of Pharmacists from Pharmacy) Rules 2019 to the Minister for Health for his consent in accordance with the requirements of the Pharmacy Act 2007. I will inform the Minister of the issues raised by the Senator.