Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the reason the moratorium on recruitment in the health service is affecting the newly qualified pharmacists taking up their essential pre-registration trainee placements; the number of trainees affected by this measure; the way they will get future employment without this key year; and her plans to have suitable pharmacists work in hospitals here without allowing this year in the future. [19491/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Notwithstanding the Government decision to introduce a moratorium on recruitment across the public service, certain posts in the health sector may be filled, through the application of exemptions in the employment control framework for front line posts. In this regard, provision has been made within the employment control framework for the continuation of the normal arrangements in relation to the filling of clinical placements, rotations and training positions for health care professionals, including trainee pharmacists.

Pharmacy graduates are obliged to complete one year's post-qualification training before they are eligible to become registered pharmacists. This is to fulfil the EU obligation that pharmacy education is of a minimum of 5 years duration. Furthermore, at least 6 months of the pre-registration training must be in a clinical sitting, either in a community or hospital pharmacy. This course of pre-registration study, supervised work experience and examination is organised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI).

In the past number of years there have been 28 pre-registration pharmacist practical placements available in the public hospital sector. However, the PSI is aware that pharmacy students who are expecting to graduate this year have been experiencing difficulties in securing placements in a number of these hospitals. The PSI has informed me that it is preparing a contingency plan in the event that there is a shortfall in the number of placements available this year and I welcome the initiative of the PSI in this regard.

The PSI has been in discussions with the HSE concerning the number of placements available in the hospital sector and to ascertain whether there is an opportunity to increase the throughput of students in this area. The PSI's contingency plan endeavours to ensure that all of the students are enabled to acquire a 'qualification appropriate for practice' and thereby to obtain registration as pharmacists and practice their profession. For example, to date, the majority of pre-registration pharmacy students have tended to undertake 12 months of pre-registration training in one establishment e.g. a community or hospital pharmacy. However, it is possible for students to undertake two 6 months placements, one of which must be in a community or hospital pharmacy and the second 6 months in another establishment relevant to the practise of pharmacy e.g. in the pharmaceutical industry, academia, etc.

The PSI's contingency plan requires the full support of the HSE, community pharmacies and the pharmaceutical industry, as well as tutor pharmacists across all sectors of practice, either in the community, hospital, industry, academic and regulatory sectors, if it is to succeed. I would urge all concerned to support the PSI in this initiative.