Written answers

Wednesday, 4 May 2022

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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424. To ask the Minister for Health the steps that can be taken to ensure the greater availability of qualified pharmacists to work in retail pharmacies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21722/22]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Pharmacists wishing to practise in Ireland must be registered with the statutory regulator of pharmacists and pharmacies, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), which operates three routes of recognition/registration depending on where the pharmacy qualification has first been acquired – the national route, EU route and non-EU (third country qualification recognition - TCQR) route under established processes based in Irish and EU law.

The PSI is not involved in the recruitment of pharmacists.  However, in the context of its function to regulate the profession of pharmacy in the State having regard to the need to protect, maintain and promote the health and safety of the public, the PSI is examining the topic of pharmacist workforce.  The PSI is currently undertaking a project, due to run across 2022-’23, ‘Emerging Risks to the Future Pharmacy Workforce’. In 2022, this project is set to “assess emerging risks to the continued availability of a professional pharmacy workforce within community and hospital pharmacy in Ireland”. This is a complex problem with many contributing factors and multiple stakeholders, and the project will be taking a medium to long-term view of the matter. Workforce challenges are being experienced in other sectors nationally, and in the pharmacy sector in a range of other countries.  However, robust data for Ireland is needed to be able to determine the current landscape, assess future health system needs and understand existing sectoral challenges now and into the future.  It will be on the basis of gathering and analysing this up-to-date, robust and relevant data, that recommendations can be proposed to address Ireland’s needs for a pharmacist workforce in the future, as Ireland’s healthcare system evolves, and in the context of Sláintecare implementation.

The PSI has also recognised its non-EU route of registration is complex and is undertaking a process to review it with the aim of having an improved TCQR route in place for January 2023.

PSI has also been liaising withother stakeholders, including the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), on efforts being taken within the sector to understand and address the reported current acute workforce issue. In February 2022, PSI met with a number of superintendent pharmacists and the IPU. PSI circulated a survey on behalf of the latter to all registrants to support in efforts in understanding and addressing the issue in the short term, the results of which are pending. PSI has also indicated its willingness to participate in a stakeholder group being established by the IPU, and the Department understands PSI and IPU are due to meet about this in early May.

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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425. To ask the Minister for Health his views that the shortage of qualified pharmacists to work in retail pharmacies is a critical skill shortage; the steps that will be taken to speed up the process in registering EU and non-EU pharmacists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21723/22]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My department has liaised with the PSI on this matter. The PSI is not involved in the recruitment of pharmacists.  However, as the pharmacy regulator, it is appropriate for PSI to examine the topic of pharmacist workforce.  They are aware through their work and through reports from stakeholders, of an increasing risk to the continued availability of a pharmacist workforce, with the concern being that the issue may be exacerbated into the future. In response, the PSI is undertaking a project, due to run across 2022-’23, ‘Emerging Risks to the Future Pharmacy Workforce’. In 2022, this project is set to “assess emerging risks to the continued availability of a professional pharmacy workforce within community and hospital pharmacy in Ireland”.

This is a complex problem with many contributing factors and multiple stakeholders. Workforce challenges are being experienced in other sectors nationally, and in the pharmacy sector in a range of other countries.  However, robust data for Ireland is needed to be able to determine the current landscape, assess future health system needs and understand existing sectoral challenges now and into the future.  It will be on the basis of gathering and analysing this up-to-date, robust and relevant data, that recommendations can be proposed to address Ireland’s needs for a pharmacist workforce in the future, as Ireland’s healthcare system evolves, and in the context of Sláintecare implementation.

The number of registered pharmacists on the Register of Pharmacists held and maintained by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), the pharmacy regulator has continued to grow steadily, with an average increase of 187 registrants each year over the past five years. 6846 pharmacists are currently registered with the PSI, under established processes based in Irish and EU law. 

The processes underpinning the qualification recognition and registration in respect of EU-qualified and non-EU qualified, have defined timeframes.

- EU Route:

The legislative timeframes regarding qualification recognition for EU applicants are as follows:

- The European Professional Card (EPC) applications which are made via the IMI system have to be processed by the PSI, the competent authority for the purposes of the Professional Qualifications Directive, within 4 weeks. The legislation sets a tacit recognition date at 4 weeks from date application sent/accepted by the PSI.  This date can be extended by 2 two week periods in the event of queries arising but the maximum period of time allowed under this method application is two months in total to process an application via the IMI system.

- If an application is made outside of the IMI system, the Professional Qualifications Directive has set a maximum timeframe of 3 months for the qualification recognition process to have been completed from the date of receipt of a valid application (i.e. all documentation having been received from and on behalf of the applicant) for applications benefitting from automatic recognition, and 4 months for applications subject to an individual assessment under the General System. 

However, the Department understands that where an EU applicant presents the PSI with the required documentation for the purposes of qualification recognition and registration, the PSI generally completes the process well within the legislative timeframes.  

- Non-EU Route (TCQR):

The current process comprises several stages. The regulator is currently undertaking a project to overhaul this route and to streamline it as much as possible, with the aim of having an improved TCQR route in place for January 2023. Notwithstanding any changes that may be implemented, the Department appreciates that the PSI must be able to verify the minimum standards required in order for an applicant to progress to registration, to be in a position to practise in a sector delivering irreversible patient care and treatment, in Ireland. 

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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426. To ask the Minister for Health If consideration will be given to permitting retail pharmacies to sell non-prescription medication without the presence of a qualified pharmacist on the premises thus allowing the public to access some medications at the weekend; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21724/22]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Pharmacy Act 2007 specifies that the sale and supply of medicinal products is carried out under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist. This is a safety requirement and ensures that patients and the public are provided with a safe pharmacy service at all times. Pharmacists must be available to provide expert advice to patients on medication management and particularly to patients who may be considering using non-prescription medicines while also taking complex prescription-only medicines. 

Photo of Jim O'CallaghanJim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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427. To ask the Minister for Health if a new pathway for experienced pharmacy technicians to become fully qualified pharmacists will be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21726/22]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Although subject to professional regulation, pharmacy education and training is provided within the wider context of higher education and so is subject both to national and EU-wide requirements. Minimum requirements in relation to the education and training of pharmacists are set out in the Professional Qualifications Directive (EU Directive 2005/36/EC, as amended by EU Directive 2013/55/EU for Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications). Pharmacy education in Ireland is also compliant with the educational standards of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and therefore is also compliant with the requirements of the Bologna Process. 

The five-year pharmacist qualification is an accredited five-year fully integrated Master’s degree programme in pharmacy. On successful completion of the five-year programme, graduates are then eligible to apply to the PSI for registration.   

Pharmacy technicians play an important role in many pharmacies, supporting the operation of the pharmacy and the work of pharmacists and make a valuable contribution to pharmacy service delivery.  In Ireland however, there is no definition of “pharmacy technician” in legislation, and technicians are not subject to a statutory professional regulatory regime, nor is the qualification standardised across the various providers of pharmacy technician education and training.  The Department understands that PSI is supportive of Schools of Pharmacy in the Irish higher education system should they wish to consider other relevant qualifications and prior experience as part of their entry requirements to the five-year MPharm, with the appropriate level of rigour and assessment, and are aware of one School of Pharmacy who make provision for up to two places each year being made available for pharmacy technicians for entry to the MPharm programme.

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