Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Health recognises the value and importance of pharmacists and pharmacies in conserving, protecting and enhancing the health of our citizens.

Pharmacists are health care professionals who are expert in the use and management of medicines to treat and alleviate ill health and maintain good health. In their daily routine practice, they recognise and assess presentations of sub-optimum health and advise on its management, which may include the subsequent provision of medicines to patients as either preventative, treatment or maintenance options.

The practice of pharmacy and the provision of pharmaceutical care has the potential to be further evolved to deliver optimal patient outcomes - this potentially will provide a vehicle to alleviate the pressure on, and support, primary care practitioners.

There are legal and regulatory matters which will have to be considered as well as appropriate guidance and in some cases, further training for pharmacists, depending on the measures being implemented.

On the 24th July 2023 the Minister for Heath established an Expert Taskforce to support the expansion of the role of pharmacists in Ireland. The Taskforce has formally commenced and will work intensively in the coming months. The Minister has requested that the first of their recommendations be sent to him by the end of October this year, which the Taskforce has committed to. The Minister will consider the recommendations and direct officials accordingly.

In tandem, Department of Health officials are working to progress several projects to enhance scope of practice outside of the Pharmacy Taskforce. These include an expansion of the role of pharmacists in supporting existing public health and well-being programmes.