Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for their question.

Many pharmacies have traditionally provided a delivery service for dispensed medicines whenever this was necessary in the interest of the health, safety and convenience of the patient. It is at the discretion of the individual pharmacy if they wish to offer a delivery service to their customers and patients.

Regulation 9 of the Regulation of Retail Pharmacy Businesses Regulations 2008 (S.I. No. 488 of 2008) requires that a person carrying on a retail pharmacy business ensures that prior to the dispensing of each prescription and prior to the supply of the medicinal product concerned, a registered pharmacist reviews the prescription having regard to the pharmaceutical and therapeutic appropriateness of the medicine therapy for the patient.

In the supply of medicines via a delivery system, pharmacists should apply all the usual professional activities employed in the dispensing of prescriptions including therapeutic review and patient counselling in order that patient care be provided to the usual expected standard. In addition, pharmacists must pay particular attention to the delivery steps in a delivery system to ensure that the medicinal products can be safely supplied.

Whatever method of arranged delivery is used, the pharmacist is fully responsible for ensuring that the system used is suitable having regard to the nature of the medicine concerned and the integrity of the supply chain through which the medicines are to be delivered. The pharmacist retains responsibility throughout for securing the safe delivery of the medicine to the patient and therefore must be satisfied that the delivery system adheres to the guidance set out by the PSI, the Pharmacy Regulator.