PAYMENTS TO PHARMACISTS

SEAMUS FEELY,

SEAMUS FEELY,

Sir, - I refer to coverage of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General in your edition of September 27th regarding a €12 million overpayment of capitation fees to pharmacists and doctors. For the record, I would like to make it clear that pharmacists are not paid capitation fees. They are simply paid on the basis of items dispensed, so there is no scope for overpayments to be made to them under this heading as suggested in press reports.

This is made clear on page 102 of the full report which outlines the payments paid to pharmacists and, specifically, the capitation fees paid to doctors. - Yours, etc.,

SEAMUS FEELY, Secretary General, Irish Pharmaceutical Union, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.