Boots expansion in Ireland

[amjon]

I hear that Boots have plans to create over 1800 jobs in Ireland. This must be the final nail in the coffin of independent community pharmacy in Ireland.

[Pharmanaut]

...tomorrow the world.
In the early days of the NHS Boots put in a bid to do all the dispensing.
(One of my tutors mentioned this at uni in the 70's, so it might not be true)

[culchie82]

Could be a possible means of moving back home, but then the thought of a thousand eyes staring at me over the counter, while I ran about like a blue arsed fly doing ten things at once because there's no staff, doesn't actually appeal to me. I'm told Pharmacy was a much nicer profession back twenty/thirty/forty years ago when the independents had a bigger slice of the action, a time when the profession was actually respected and patients wern't mollycoddled every opportunity.

[Fleegle]

Many independents are now approaching breaking-point. HSE-imposed cuts in payments have directly resulted in shops which previously had four staff members being reduced to two..Pharmacist plus one general assistant. In the absence of a proper union (forget the IPU), there is clearly big trouble brewing. Now there is often no sick pay either, as in Ireland there is no legislation regarding the provision of such. Social welfare sickness benefit is the only option. Yes..pharmacists are being forced to claim on the social if they need to take a day off sick.
I encountered this recently, but was too proud to claim. I lost a days pay over it.

It is not a healthy environment in which to work. Ten hour straight shifts with no break. The only reason I currently still put up with this astonishing situation is that my contract ends soon..I will not be renewing it at any cost.

It's almost all over..shame really, but I sure as Hell won't miss one minute of it.

Fleeg.

[culchie82]

Fleegle, what actually happened down south of the border because I never really knew the issues involved. Did the government decide to subsidize the Pharmacies less (ie reduction in dispensing fees or reimbursment), or are they simply taking a bigger piece of the profits?

[hibernia]

I hear that Boots have plans to create over 1800 jobs in Ireland. This must be the final nail in the coffin of independent community pharmacy in Ireland.

You hear wrong.
Offical press release says they plan 5 new stores, creating 150 jobs, by September with a possible further 5 new opening by the end of the year. This is actually LESS than they had already announced for 2010. When added to their existing 55 stores that makes a whole 60 in the republic. Not quite an empire.

Independents are still the main force, for now. Multiples have taken a lot of front of shop business but haven't been able to crack the prescription side of things.

PS Freggle you have to be sick here for THREE days before you can claim off the social. You are always expected to take the loss of the first three days pay yourself even if you aren't proud but most employers do make some payment and some employees take the days out of their annual holidays. Your best bet would be to seek state employment. they may have had their wages cut but they still get very generous sick pay.

PPS Culchie, it is far too late for me to even start to explain what happened.

[johnep]

The time when Boots offered to take over entire dispensing was when there was agitation over a possible strike similar to Ireland.
johnep

[Hector]

The reality is that eventually Boots and Unicare will will become the main players in the Irish Pharmacy market. It may take a while, but give it a decade. Lots of independants are above to go bust. There will be massive consolidation in the market. When this occurs the Goverment will come looking for rebates as they do in the UK. The chains will be able to take these cuts the independants won't. Also, with the recent strike many independants have lost trust within their communities. Ultimately, patients may decide to go to these chains because they know that they won't close during a strike! Boots are only creating 10 new stores this year at most. More than likely 5. But when the economy stabilises, I bet they will start to really expand. I read somewhere, when some of the Boots staff were going to go on strike, that they have 30 million in retained profits. So they've got a hell of a war chest to expand.

[hibernia]

All good points Hector. In the end it all comes down to cash and at the moment they are the people who have it. If we get the promised reference pricing with generic substitution it also plays into their hands because they have the buying power to consistently give the patient the brands they want.

The other "unknown" at this stage is what impact primary care centres, if they ever get built, will have on the industry.

[Fleegle]

PS Freggle you have to be sick here for THREE days before you can claim off the social. You are always expected to take the loss of the first three days pay yourself even if you aren't proud but most employers do make some payment and some employees take the days out of their annual holidays. Your best bet would be to seek state employment. they may have had their wages cut but they still get very generous sick pay.

Thanks for the info Hibernia, What a generous bunch.

Freggle.