Madam, – Our first patient on Saturday morning, the first day of the pharmacy strike, was a quiet, timid man. He had a prescription for his elderly mother. He was told that there was only one pharmacy in Waterford city which could dispense his prescription. He was totally bewildered, frightened and confused. He had never heard of Boots, and despite having lived in Waterford city all his life, didn’t know where it was located.
The second patient returned to us from that pharmacy. She told us they wouldn’t have any of her medication for treating depression for four days. She was in tears.
The next, a frail lady of over 80 years, on heart and blood pressure medication, mumbled something about trying to do without until the dispute was over. And so it went all day.
Shame on Minister for Health Mary Harney for holding the elderly, sick and vulnerable of this country to ransom. One phone call to the pharmacists, who are willing to take fair cuts and help implement savings over and above what she is seeking, would end this strike. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET HALLEY,
Marlfield,
Clonmel, Co Tipperary.
Madam, – The HSE spent tens of thousands of euros last week listing pharmacists who would be dispensing after August 1st, and included 60 for the counties Donegal, Mayo and Kerry. The HSE then spent tens of thousands of euros more setting up dispensaries in these counties for which, if the list was true, there would be no need.
When the HSE published the list, shouldn’t it have known full well that the disinformation would only add to the stress of patients? The HSE mandarins might consider this a clever and cunning ploy to divide pharmacists, but it’s a pity they cannot focus their energies on the really clever ploy – to sit down with pharmacists and find a solution. – Yours, etc,
JOANNE HYNES MPSI,
Cornmarket,
Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.
Madam, – There is much confusion regarding the numbers of pharmacies that have withdrawn from dispensing medicines under the various State drugs schemes, with a huge discrepancy between the figures quoted by the HSE and the Irish Pharmacy Union. This has arisen from the HSE interpretation of what constitutes a “valid” 30 days’ notice of withdrawal of service as required under Section 9(8) of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009.
The HSE contends that pharmacists who, in letters sent to the HSE at the beginning of July, used the expressions “intend to withdraw” or “it is my intention to withdraw” have not served proper notice. As a consequence, these pharmacies have been included in the lists published in the national and local press and on the HSE website and the HSE has steadfastly refused to remove these pharmacies from their lists.
It seems to me that there are two obvious questions to be answered by the HSE – if not to serve notice then for what other reason do they believe these pharmacies wrote to them in early July, and why, rather than clarifying the position if they were in doubt, did they proceed to just include these pharmacies on their lists published last week? The upshot of their approach is that in my own county, it has listed 15 pharmacies as still participating in the schemes whereas in reality there are only eight. If this situation is replicated elsewhere in the country, then frankly the information on their website is grossly inaccurate.
I read on your front page on August 3rd about allegations that staff at the HSE contingency dispensaries have been intimidated by community pharmacists. I certainly hope these are not true. For my own part, as a community pharmacist who has withdrawn from the State schemes, I have felt intimidated by the tone and content of letters I have received from the HSE over these past weeks. I have yet to receive a formal acknowledgement of my notice to withdraw and yet I have been threatened with all forms of repercussions of my actions in their various “Dear Pharmacy Contractor” letters to me. I have not received one single letter addressed to me personally or to my company since the Minister’s announcement on June 18th.
This dispute will only be resolved by dialogue. The contingency arrangements in Donegal are dangerously inadequate. Is the Minister going to wait until a patient comes to harm before she acts? I despair of her intransigence. – Yours, etc,
FRANCIS BONNER, MPSI,
Main Street,
Ballybofey,
Co Donegal.