The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), the representative body for 1,800 pharmacists across the country, welcomes the report on Primary Medical Care in the Community, published today by the Joint Committee for Health and Children. In particular, the IPU welcomes the recommendation to expand the role of the pharmacist to provide additional healthcare services to patients. Recommendations include medicine use reviews, a minor ailments scheme, health promotion and screening.
Welcoming the recommendations in the report, Darragh O'Loughlin, Galway Pharmacist and Vice-President of the IPU said "We are pleased the Committee has highlighted the potential that exists in community pharmacy and recommended the expansion of the pharmacist's role in delivering healthcare. We are looking forward to working with the Government, the HSE and other healthcare professionals to implement the recommendations."
He continued "People in Ireland visit pharmacies twice a month on average making pharmacies the most accessible part of the healthcare system. However, pharmacists are in a position to play a much greater role by providing additional services. Pharmacists can identify patients at risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We have run numerous health promotion campaigns in the past in areas of diabetes, smoking cessation and the safe use of medicines. Pharmacists are medicines experts - five years ago we made proposals on how to carry out medicines reviews, which would reduce the wastage of medicines and ensure better health outcomes for patients."
