Here's the latest from the HSE..the situation is escalating daily..it now appears the HSE are requesting pharmacies to provide patient records on demand..
Termination of State Drug Scheme Contracts by Pharmacists
Tuesday, 20th July 2009
The HSE today formally acknowledged the termination of contracts by 800 pharmacists who have given the Executive written notice that they will be withdrawing from the State Drug Schemes. Letters issued by the HSE to these pharmacists today acknowledges receipt of communication from pharmacists that constitutes termination of the Community Pharmacy Contractor Agreement with the HSE when the 30 days notice period expires on 1st August 2009.
In the letter, the HSE appealed to pharmacists to facilitate patients and clients in having their prescriptions filled in other locations by providing clients with their records, such as repeat prescriptions and dispensing records, on request. In addition, pharmacists who have chosen to terminate their contract have been asked to give Drug Payment Scheme patients details of the payments they have made up to the termination date of the contract.
The HSE stressed the importance of pharmacists providing a list of patients who require extra supports to their local HSE Primary Care Pharmacist so that these patient's needs can be factored into the HSE's ongoing contingency plans. Yesterday, as part of Phase 1 of its contingency arrangements, the HSE announced details of 12 new pharmacy locations which the HSE will be setting up in the West of the country from 1st August.
The HSE's Chief Pharmacist (Contracts Office) Kate Mulvenna said; "We are asking pharmacists who have chosen to terminate their contract to assist us in ensuring minimal disruption to patients who need access to their medications. By handing over prescription records to their clients, on request, and by identifying to the HSE patients who may require extra supports, pharmacists can help ensure that their clients can continue to access their medications."
"Our advice to people who are concerned about where they can get their medication after 1st August is to ask their local pharmacist if they will be withdrawing services or if they will be continuing to provide a service to them. If they are withdrawing services, individuals can ask for their records and transfer to another pharmacy in the locality or to a HSE pharmacy which we will be setting up in locations around the country, as required. Further information on which pharmacists will be continuing to operate the schemes after 1st August will be made available to the public in the coming days," she said.
Requests from pharmacists for reinstatement of contracts will have to be reviewed in line with HSE operating procedures. The HSE procedures in place for the processing of applications for a Community Pharmacy Contractor Agreement, a process which takes at least 21 days to complete. A number of checks are undertaken at each stage of the process, including Data Protection registration and professional indemnity. The most important checks involve the Supervising Pharmacist under whose personal supervision the responsibility for the operation of the pharmacy lies. At the HSE inspection stage, the availability of reference texts, equipment and suitability of the fridge and its monitoring are reviewed. Following confirmation of registration with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the contract is issued.
During the coming weeks the HSE will provide information on pharmacies which have confirmed that they will continue to participate in the Schemes. This will be done through the HSE Infoline 1850 24 1850, advertisements and our website: www.hse.ie.
Charge for providing records, sorting out paperwork, verifying data requests genuine, dealing with informed consent for release of information, providing lists of certain groups of patients, making phone calls etc etc.
The HSE "Appealing" sounds like they don't want to pay for this service, although by then you will no longer be under contract to them.
I would be looking to charge, I would expect myself to become a vindictive sob in these circumstances, although not as unreasonable as the Irish Government. And it doesn't look as if they are trying to be too co-operative with you....... all this reinvestigate, 21 days, revalidation should you wish to rejoin the scheme, doesn't sound as if they are trying to be helpful.
If the HSE is setting up 'pharmacies', who will be staffing them?, or will they be operating like the UK Tamiflu distribution centres. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. In UK Data Protection Act would probably obstruct transfer of records. Ask the HSE to get a court order for each enquiry.
johnep
I thought that too. I'll need to double check the Irish rules though. It appears, however that in all this debacle, the Irish government and HSE can just make up the rules as they go along. Another point is that 60 days notice must be given to open a pharmacy in Ireland, yet the HSE appear to be able to do so in 14 days. Strangely, the PSI are nowhere to be seen or heard. There is an IPU meeting in Dublin tomorrow, and in order to attend, many pharmacists are closing their shops for most of the day. I've had a few phone calls from panicking customers already....
It's now game on. The HSE continues to publish its spin, whilst the IPU refutes most of it as inaccurate. I'm part of this, so believe the IPU.
Today's latest from Irish Independent newspaper...
Patients 'put at risk' as pharmacies protest State cuts
By DON LAVERY
Sunday August 02 2009
The HSE has claimed that 300 pharmacies have withdrawn from the action taken yesterday by pharmacists to stop dispensing drugs in State Community Drug Schemes in protest at cuts in fees and payments of €133m.
With problems reported among elderly people in rural areas like Donegal in a day of claim and counterclaim, the HSE said the latest development brought the number of pharmacies dispensing medication under the State Drug Schemes to over 1,100.
The Irish Pharmacy Union had predicted "chaos", warning that patients would be put at risk, however the HSE said reports from every HSE base around the country indicated that there was "no significant extra burden being placed on participating pharmacies" due to the withdrawal of 500 pharmacies from the State Drug Schemes.
"The HSE's alternative dispensing facilities are also fully operational today and in compliance with all regulations," a spokeswoman said.
The HSE highlighted that clients whose usual pharmacy will no longer be participating in the State Drug Scheme can take their prescription to any participating pharmacy where they will be able to get their medicines. "It is the patient's choice as to which pharmacy they go to for their medicines under the State Drugs Schemes and every pharmacy is contractually obliged to accept patients," the HSE said.
It had received reports of a small number of participating pharmacies refusing to fill State Drug Scheme prescriptions for new clients, but said they were in breach of their contract with the HSE.
"This refusal could also raise professional practice concerns and the HSE will be taking this matter up both with individual pharmacies and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland as required," the spokeswoman said.
The Irish Pharmacy Union said it had reported growing medicine supply problems for patients. The President of the Irish Pharmacy Union said that the number of pharmacies who had withdrawn from the Community Drugs Schemes was far in excess of what the HSE was claiming.
IPU President Liz Hoctor said they had received reports that hundreds of pharmacies across the country were either closed or refusing to dispense medicines under the Community Drugs Schemes after a decision by Minster Mary Harney to slash the fees pharmacists receive by 34 per cent.
Ms Hoctor said the Union believed the numbers who had withdrawn from the schemes was far in excess of what Minister Harney and the HSE had anticipated and there were signs of growing panic within the HSE.
"For example, many pharmacies whose names are on the HSE list were either closed today or open but not dispensing under the Community Drugs Scheme."
Ms Hoctor also said that the HSE were issuing solicitor's letters to pharmacists as late as yesterday evening to try and force them to continue to provide services. Ms Hoctor signaled out problems in Donegal and Mayo as particularly acute.
The national director of the HSE's Primary, Continuing and Community Care, Laverne McGuinness, said the cost to tax payers to provide medicines under the State Drugs Scheme is unsustainable. "It is now approaching €2bn and we must continue to put in place efficiency measures to address these escalating costs."
The HSE said due to some pharmacies withdrawing services in Donegal, the HSE has put in place contingency dispensing facilities in a number of sites. These facilities will be open again on Tuesday and they are Donegal Community Hospital, Dungloe Community Hospital, and St Joseph's Community Hospital in Stranolar.
The HSE said none of the pharmacies in the Inishowen area of north Donegal were providing services to customers under the State Drug Scheme.
The HSE advised people in the Inishowen area that there are currently three ways that they can have their prescriptions filled while the pharmacists' action continues.
People can themselves go to their nearest participating pharmacies to have their prescriptions filled, and the HSE has also offered to provide transport to bring patients to their nearest participating pharmacies.
The HSE was also facilitating clients by having their prescriptions filled at a participating pharmacy or at a HSE-operated dispensary and then returning their medication to them.
The HSE said the full list of the participating pharmacies is being updated by the HSE regularly and is available online at www.hse.ie and through the HSE Info Line on 1850 24 1850, and was published in national and local newspapers this week.
- DON LAVERY
Here's MARY HARNEY, the Irish Minister for HEALTH AND CHILDREN in case any of you still don't know what she looks like..It may also be poignant to point out here that GERALDINE HARNEY (Mary's sister) is a correspondent with RTE, the Irish equivalent of the BBC..........
Fleeg.
Last edited by Fleegle; 2nd, August 2009 at 05:32 PM.
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