Irish Pharmacy hits crisis.

[Fleegle]

Update.

Now 1149 of 1521 contractors, or 76% have given 30 days notice of termination. If Boots and Unicare holdings are ignored, the true figure is 81%. Here is the latest IPU release for the benefit of the Irish public...

For information for patients, the IPU publishes the list of names below of those individual pharmacists who have informed the IPU that they have sent a letter to the HSE informing the HSE that they do not wish to continue to render services to or on behalf of the HSE from 1st August 2009 on the basis of the payment regime fixed in regulations made under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2009. The pharmacies listed have informed the IPU that they have given the HSE 30 days' notice in accordance with Section 9.8 of the FEMPI Act 2009.



Section 9.8 of the FEMPI Act states that “A Health professional who does not wish to continue to render services to or on behalf of the health body concerned on the basis of a payment regime fixed in a regulation made under subsection (1) may give 30 days’ notice to that effect to the health body and, on the expiration of those 30 days, shall be relieved of any obligation to render those services notwithstanding any contractual or other term with regard to notice”.


Fleeg.

[Rafael]

Thanks fleg for the info, was not aware of the situation, i just assumed they were going on a strike to re-negotiate the funding.
keep us updated

Raoul xx

[Fleegle]

Yes Raul, it will be interesting to see how the Celtic Tiger proposes to maintain a credible status within the European Union with 100 British, Dutch or German-owned multiples servicing 4.5 million Irish people. How many pharmacists would relish dispensing for 45,000 patients per month at an average of 3 items per patient? That's 5192 items per day, assuming you take a day off per week.

(This post is specifically aimed at current pharmacist employees of Boots and Unicare in the Republic of Ireland).....

Fleeg.

[Rafael]

Yes Raul, it will be interesting to see how the Celtic Tiger proposes to maintain a credible status within the European Union with 100 British or German-owned pharmacies servicing 4.5 million Irish people. Would you fancy dispensing for 45,000 patients per month at an average of 3 items per patient? That's 5192 items per day, assuming you take a day off per week.

Fleeg.

another advantage of having no nultiples dominating the market.... look how strong the irish pharmacists when standing together. i believe their demands will be met by DoH.
Good luck

[Pharmanaut]

Yes Raul, it will be interesting to see how the Celtic Tiger proposes to maintain a credible status within the European Union with 100 British, Dutch or German-owned multiples servicing 4.5 million Irish people. How many pharmacists would relish dispensing for 45,000 patients per month at an average of 3 items per patient? That's 5192 items per day, assuming you take a day off per week.

(This post is specifically aimed at current pharmacist employees of Boots and Unicare in the Republic of Ireland).....

Fleeg.

Yes, all praise to the hub and spoke model.

[Rafael]

kinda hard to find enough ACTs to work in such dispensing hubs run by the 100 pharmacists they employ. tho it is possible! i prefer not to think of the consequences of Boots and unicare offering this solution..... anyway they can't within a month period, but always a possibility in the future. gov would be keen to negotiate with them such a deal....

[Fleegle]

Hub and spoke model cannot work in Ireland. Foreign multiples will only base in cities, where they're not very popular anyway, as outlying rural areas are not commercially viable. If they had wanted to purchase every rural pharmacy in Ireland in order that it just might work, I think they would have attempted to do so already. I suppose they could try a three for two on Nurofen Plus to drug us all into believing their spin.

Fleeg.

[DavidS]

Bloody joke isn't it?

I think its an absolute disgrace. It seems to me that if 1140 pharmacists have already given in their notice, and they are still faxing everyone, they have another agenda. I wonder what it is. Surely it can't be to try and get their masters (mistresses) off the hook.

I don't think the multiples will be in any hurry to deal with this, to be honest. The multiples would want a contract sewn up which it would take any government weeks to agree to anyway, and it will cost the government more in the end, not less. EG oxygen supplies in the UK, and Tesco's negotiation's with farmers (or pharmacists, come to that). If you give a multiple a monopoly on anything, it will cost you a fortune. I just don't see it.

Anyway, its the 8th. What happened. Was their fax machine working?

[Fleegle]

As expected, the multiples have not responded either way. It must be borne in mind however, that there are proprietors in Ireland with five or fewer outlets who consider themselves to be multiples.

Boots et al have already allegedly contacted nursing homes currently serviced by independents offering continuity of service should their supply of medicines be disrupted. Apparently in the past they even offered to paint the whole building in return for prescription business!! (paraphrased post from another website). Perhaps Boots et al can absorb a 34% reduction in government remuneration based on their OTC income alone at present, which would account for their unwillingness to support their fellow professionals, and employees of the independent businesses.

Any which way, if this whole thing pans out, and there are 300 pharmacies left to service a population of 4.5 million people through the government-supported health schemes, I for one would not be looking forward to being the pharmacist on duty in any Irish branch of Boots come August 1st...would you?

Regarding the fax machine...the word is very few, if any, replied.

Fleeg.

[DavidS]

Boots have already allegedly contacted nursing homes currently serviced by independents offering continuity of service should their supply of medicines be disrupted. Perhaps Boots can absorb a 34% reduction in government remuneration based on their OTC income.

I'm not surprised they are sitting on the fence. Its a great way to apply pressure without suffering consequences. the 34% - on the least profitable slice? Not for long. There would have to be an under-the-table deal done, easier now that Boots is a private company. And when the situation changes - and it will - nursing homes will be well pleased to get back to their friendly independents, if the independents are still willing to service them, leaving Boots high and dry.

If I was still working for Boots I'd be booking my holidays for August 1st.

It sounds like an absolute nightmare for you pharmacists, wherever you work. What the poor patients in Eire are going to make of it I can't imagine.