John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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85. To ask the Minister for Health the action being taken to introduce a minor ailment scheme in community pharmacies [20962/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive and the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) have commenced a pilot pharmacy-based minor ailment scheme. The scheme allows medical card holders to receive treatment from their local community pharmacy for dry eye, dry skin, scabies, threadworms and vaginal thrush, without the need to visit a GP for a prescription.

The pilot began on 1 July and will run in 19 pharmacies in four towns, (Kells, Roscommon, Macroom and Edenderry) for three months. After this time, the pilot phase will be evaluated to establish the effectiveness of such a service. The objective of the pilot is to inform policy decisions and recommendations regarding the future of such schemes.