Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 17, after line 8, to insert the following: “Report on the Minor Ailment Scheme

14. Within 12 months of the passing of this Act the Minister shall commission a report on how a pharmacy-based minor ailment scheme can be introduced in Ireland. It shall include details regarding how Irish Medicines Board Act 1995, the Pharmacy Act 2007, Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 can be amended.”.

The purpose of the proposed amendment as an additional section in the Bill is to call on the Government to introduce, or at least assess the viability of, a minor ailments scheme. A minor ailments scheme is an internationally recognised extended pharmacy service which allows pharmacists to improve public health access, shape further future services and broaden pharmacy roles to deliver patient care and improve health outcomes. At present, private patients who want to access non-prescriptive medicines for ailments such as hay fever, migraines or skin conditions consult local pharmacists on the best options for them and pay for over-the-counter medications. However, medical card patients with the same ailment can only access the same medication if they visit a GP or get a prescription. If the Minister were to introduce a minor ailments scheme, public patients would no longer have to make GP appointments, which would save time for both GPs and patients.

Pharmacy-based minor ailments schemes have been introduced throughout the UK to reduce the burden of minor ailments in high-cost settings, including general practices and emergency departments. Some 24 million consultations take place in Irish general practices each year and more than 1 million consultations take place in out-of-hours co-operatives. Irish GPs received €551 million from the HSE in 2017, which implies a cost of €22.98 per consultation. Independent analysis commissioned by the IPU estimates that the full implementation of a comprehensive minor ailments scheme would save almost 1 million GP consultations per year and free up approximately €22 million worth of valuable GP capacity in an overloaded GP service, the equivalent of almost 100 full-time GPs.

I pointed out previously that more than 500,000 people live within 1 km of a pharmacy and 85% live within 5 km of one. In 2006, the IPU made a submission to the Department of Health and Children on a pharmacy-based minor ailments scheme. In January 2009, the IPU proposed the introduction of a pharmacy-based minor ailments scheme at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children.In 2015 the IPU centred its pre-budget submission on a proposal to introduce the minor ailments scheme and the then Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, announced the introduction of a pharmacy-based minor ailment pilot scheme at the IPU's conference. In July 2016 the pilot scheme was commenced and ran in 19 pharmacies in four towns, namely, Kells, Roscommon, Macroom and Edenderry, for three months. In 2019, the then Minister for Health, now the Taoiseach, addressed the IPU conference and said they all knew the minor ailments scheme worked and that he was fed up hearing about evaluating it. On 2 May 2021 in a video address to IPU members, the present Minister stated he wished to emphasise the important role community pharmacists play in the wider health service in delivering holistic patient care. He also stated he was committed to further developing the role in the context of health service reform. He said he had listened to and met the IPU when he was in opposition and as Minister and that he firmly believed there was much merit in the initiative and seeking to address this scheme. I am therefore asking him to include it in this legislation. He may not wish to but I would put it in there.