Written answers

Wednesday, 14 May 2008

Department of Health and Children

Pharmacy Education

9:00 pm

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of training placements available in 2007 to allow pharmacy students to complete the pre-registration year; the number of same available for 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18743/08]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) has statutory responsibility for pharmacy education and training. In late Autumn every year, the PSI writes to the total number of qualified tutor pharmacists held on its database (currently in excess of 1,000) to identify those who are in a position to provide a training placement for pharmacy graduates within their pharmacy for the following training year (i.e. the training year due to commence the following Autumn). In recent years there have been around 200 placements available annually, mostly in the community sector, but with upward of 30 in the hospital sector. The details of the these placements are circulated to the fourth year pharmacy students by the PSI at the end of November via the schools of pharmacy.

The number of available training placements notified to the PSI in Autumn 2006 for the 2007-08 training year was 202. All 144 pharmacy graduates qualified to take up placements found training places in 2007-08.

In response to the PSI's call for tutors for 2008/09, a total of 209 positive replies were notified to the PSI and circulated to the fourth year pharmacy students in late November 2007. Notwithstanding the above, certain difficulties were being experienced by pharmacy graduates this year in securing pre-registration training placements in the community pharmacy sector, primarily due to the withdrawal of such places by a number of tutors\pharmacies. However, I understand that the position has improved in recent weeks and the PSI continues to monitor the situation. A very small number of the placements in the hospital sector are also at issue, which my Department has raised with the HSE.

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