Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Health if he will engage with an organisation (details supplied) regarding concerns it has for future funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28620/23]

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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142. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department has considered the introduction of a flat-fee model of care being reimbursed at €6.50 per medicine; if his Department has costed this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28621/23]

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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155. To ask the Minister for Health when he intends to engage with representatives of community-based pharmacists (details supplied) in relation to ongoing concerns over a 15-year pharmacy pay freeze and its impact on patient care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28705/23]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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156. To ask the Minister for Health the progress made in reviewing pharmacy services and funding; the estimated date of completion of the review; if he will engage with pharmacy representatives ahead of a decision being made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28718/23]

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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157. To ask the Minister for Health if he will meet with an organisation (details supplied) before 30 June to discuss the payments freeze on community pharmacies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28720/23]

Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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158. To ask the Minister for Health if he can engage with an organisation (details supplied) on the review regarding fee restoration that is due by the end of June. [28731/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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159. To ask the Minister for Health if he will meet with pharmacists to start fee-restoration talks before the statutory deadline of 30 June; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28733/23]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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164. To ask the Minister for Health concerning the review of fees that pharmacies receive from the State for the State drug payment schemes; if he is aware that the current fees agreement that pharmacies receive for the schemes, is due to be reviewed before the end of June 2023; if he will provide an update on the progress of the review; the reasons for the lack of engagement with an organisation (details supplied) thus far; what engagement has taken place between him, the HSE, and the organisation regarding this matter; if he will provide details on the Government's commitment to ensuring a fair and sustainable fee structure that supports the vital role of pharmacies in delivering healthcare services to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28771/23]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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169. To ask the Minister for Health to engage with a representative organisation (details supplied) in relation to pay for services provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28803/23]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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170. To ask the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to address the failure to increase pay rates for community pharmacists since 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28804/23]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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173. To ask the Minister for Health to respond and detail the measures that will be taken to ensure community pharmacists are supported into the future (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28814/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 141, 142, 147, 155 to 159, inclusive, 164, 169, 170 and 173 together.

I recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of healthcare service reform.

In that regard, various approaches to extending the scope of practice of community pharmacists are being progressed by my Department. The implementation of these necessitates engagement with a range of stakeholders and full consideration of all the relevant legislative and operational issues involved.

The regulations governing the pharmacy fee structure are set out in the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (No. 34 of 2017) and in S.I. No. 639 of 2019, the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (Payments to Community Pharmacy Contractors) Regulations 2019, which put the current fee structure in place, with effect from 1 January 2020.

Under Section 42(14) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 the current pharmacy fee structure must be reviewed every third year after 2020.

My Department is currently carrying out a review and Department officials will communicate with the Irish Pharmacy Union in that regard very shortly.

I believe that there is a real opportunity to work collaboratively, and with other healthcare providers, to make a significant difference to patient outcomes. Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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143. To ask the Minister for Health if he has plans to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28622/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Health, I recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of health service reform. The use of the appropriate medication at the right time in the right way is one of the most effective health care interventions available, and empowers patients to live healthier lives.

The optimisation of the practice of pharmacy, and the provision of pharmaceutical care has the potential to enhance patient benefit and outcomes, and to potentially assist in alleviating the pressure on primary care practitioners.

A number of proposals and ways to potentially enhance the scope of practice of community pharmacists in the short, medium and longer term are currently being considered within my Department.

A proposal for the implementation of a Minor Ailment Scheme will see a scheme put in place where eligible patients will attend their local community pharmacist for assessment and treatment for a number of identified ailments, rather than first initially having to attend their GP to obtain a prescription to access over-the-counter medicines currently on the PCRS reimbursement list. The HSE have established a Minor Ailments Working Group to consider what is required from a clinical and operational perspective including the development of appropriate protocols. The range of conditions to be included in such a scheme is being finalised.

The free contraception scheme for women was launched in September 2022, and is currently open to women aged 17-26 who are ordinarily resident in Ireland. Work has commenced on evolving options for an enhanced role for pharmacists in the scheme, with considerations encompassing issues such as legal basis, training administrative and governance matters.

Realisation of this ambition will not be without challenges, and paramount to this will be the availability of the appropriate workforce to deliver on the services envisaged. The Emerging Risks to Pharmacy Workforce project, a multi-annual project commenced by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland to assess emerging risks to the continued availability of a professional pharmacy workforce within community and hospital pharmacy in Ireland will be relevant. The Department sits on the Group and has been actively involved in the work to date, and a report and suite of recommendations are being finalised and due to be published later in June.

Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.

I hope the above information is useful to you.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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144. To ask the Minister for Health if he and his Department will engage with the community pharmacy sector to discuss a new contract and enhance its role in the delivery of healthcare in the community, as per the commitment in the Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28623/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I recognise the significant role community pharmacists play in the delivery of patient care and acknowledge the potential for this role to be developed further in the context of healthcare service reform. Their participation in the national Covid-19 vaccination programme and in the free contraception scheme, launched in September 2022, are examples of the importance of their role in the functioning of our healthcare service.

Medicines are the most common healthcare intervention within the health system and the use and complexity of medicines are increasing. Pharmacists are the healthcare professionals optimally placed by virtue of their training to deliver on the critical role within the health system to ensure the safe and rational use of medicines by patients.

In that regard, various approaches to extending the scope of practice of community pharmacists are being progressed by my Department. The implementation of these necessitates engagement with a range of stakeholders and full consideration of all the relevant legislative and operational issues involved.

The Department is open to exploring any evidence based appropriately governed services, delivered by appropriately trained professionals which will support the delivery of the right care, in the right place at the right time.

I believe that there is a real opportunity to work collaboratively, and with other healthcare providers, to make a significant difference to patient outcomes. I acknowledge that collaboration has proven effective in the recent past and I am confident it can continue to do so in the future.

Of course, any publicly funded pharmacy service expansion should address unmet public healthcare needs, improve access to existing public health services, and provide better value for money.