Written answers
Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Department of Health
Pharmacy Services
Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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169. To ask the Minister for Health if the proposal to allow community pharmacists to dispense prescription-free oral contraceptives will be considered by the Women’s Health Taskforce as part of the Women’s Health Action Plan 2024-2025; the timeline for publication of the updated plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9607/24]
Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The free contraception scheme for women aged 17 -25, ordinarily resident in Ireland, was launched on 14th September, 2022. Its remit has been expanded gradually to include women aged from 17 to 31 inclusive, from January 1st, 2024. Approximately €43.9m has been allocated to support the scheme in 2024 and approximately 2,400 GPs, primary care, family planning and student health centres and 2,050 community pharmacies have contracts with the HSE to provide services under the scheme.
The scheme covers the cost of consultations with GPs, primary care, student health and family planning centres and prescriptions for the wide range of contraceptive options available on the HSE Re-Imbursement List, including long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs: injections, intra-uterine devices and systems (coils) and implants) and emergency contraception in addition to the contraceptive Pill, patch and ring. LARC fittings, removals, injections and check-ups are also free of charge under the scheme.
Women who have had coils, IUDs, IUSs or implants inserted while eligible under the scheme will remain eligible for subsequent checks and free removal of any devices inserted prior to their 32nd birthday, to ensure continuity of care.
It is important to note that prescription contraception, while being very effective at preventing unplanned pregnancy, does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The National Condom Distribution Scheme supports both STI prevention and accessible contraception for men and their partners. Free condoms can be accessed through the national network of STI clinics, participating charities and NGO partners and on participating 3rd level campuses. Since 2023, free condoms have also been supplied with orders for free home STI testing kits.
The Women’s Health Action Plan 2022-23 was published on 8 March 2022, marking International Women’s Day. The Action Plan identified key actions to improve health outcomes and experiences for women in Ireland; including the introduction of a Free Contraception Scheme. It provides the foundation to address women’s whole health and help ensure that action on women’s health looks beyond reproductive health to make a real difference to women’s lives.
The Minister for Health remains committed to working with the Taskforce and all stakeholders in continuing to drive progress in this space and to give women and girls the health services they deserve. The free contraception scheme is an integral part of the Women’s Health Action Plan (WHAP) and will also be included in the forthcoming Second National Sexual Health Strategy (NSHS).
Supports for free contraception will be a key priority for the WHAP and for the NSHS. It is envisaged that the next iteration of the National Sexual Health Strategy will be published in mid-2024.
The Minister for Health is committed to expanding the role that pharmacists play in our health services, and established the Expert Taskforce on the Expansion of Pharmacy to make recommendations as to the way forward.
The Minister is pleased to progress the Health Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2024, which has passed Second Stage in the Dáil. This legislation will lay the ground for an enhanced role for pharmacists in Ireland, with further developments to follow via secondary legislation.
The Bill intends to amend the 1995 Irish Medicines Board Act to enable pharmacists to sell and supply certain approved medicines without the need for a prescription, subject to appropriate regulation and controls to be set out in secondary legislation.
This aligns with and supports the current practice of pharmacists supplying and administering vaccinations, both privately and on behalf of the HSE. This amendment may also enable regulations to allow pharmacists to supply Oral Contraceptive Pills without prescription, to support the Free Contraception Scheme, subject to further clarification and consultation with stakeholders.
Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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170. To ask the Minister for Health the status of his Department’s review of the pharmacy fee structure under section 42(14) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9608/24]
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.
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 establishment of the Expert Taskforce to support the expansion of the role of pharmacists in Ireland is evidence of my commitment to that aim.
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 pharmacy fee structure must be reviewed every third year after 2020. My Department is carrying out a comprehensive review.
There has been constructive engagement between Department officials and the Irish Pharmacy Union to advance consideration of a range of initiatives to support an enhanced role of pharmacy, and this engagement is continuing.
I believe that there is a real opportunity to work collaboratively with community pharmacists, 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.
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