HSE publishes Phase 1 of alternative pharmacy locations

tbh

This is NOT a debate on the rights or wrongs of the pharmacists action.

This thread is to share information on alternate locations for people on community drug schemes who may be affected by pharmacists actions after August 1st.

If you have information to hand, please post your location, and the pharmacies you know will be dispensing after August 1st. Please do not list pharmacies that will not be dispensing.

Off topic posts will be removed, this will be a zero-tolerance thread.

tbh

HSE Link

based on the information currently available, HSE operated pharmacies are being set up in the following locations:

o St Patrick's Hospital, Summerhill, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co.Leitrim

o Aras Naomh Chaolain, Knock Road, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon

o DonegalCommunity Hospital, Donegal Town, Co.Donegal

o Dungloe Community Hospital, Dungloe, Co. Donegal

o Carndonagh Community Hospital, Convent Road, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal

o Falcarragh Community Hospital, Falcarragh, Co. Donegal

o St Marys Hospital, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

o Mercy Road, Ballina, Co Mayo

o Arus Deirbhle, Belmullet, Co Mayo

o Cherryfield House, Coolgrane, Killarney, Co. Kerry

o 19 Denny Street t, Tralee, Co. Kerry

o Listowel Community Hospital, Listowel, Co. Kerry

These pharmacies represent Phase 1 of the HSE Pharmacy Contingency Programme. Additional pharmacies may be added as more information becomes available on the existing pharmacies that will be withdrawing service. These locations are currently being fitted for operation by 1st August 2009. Arrangements are also being made to enable hospitals to dispense higher than usual volumes of medicines.

Last week the HSE, through advertisements in newspapers in Northern Ireland, invited expressions of interest from border county pharmacy contractors with the Health and Social Care Board of Northern Ireland to dispense medicines to HSE clients from 1st August 2009.

The HSE’s Chief Pharmacist (Contracts Office) Kate Mulvenna said; “It will not be possible to replace every pharmacy which withdraws service on a like for like basis so patients and clients may have to travel further than normal to have their prescription filled. We would encourage family, friends and neighbours to assist vulnerable people who may have transport difficulties to secure their medication.

Community pharmacists are an important part of our health services and we hope that local pharmacists will continue to provide these services. We are doing everything possible to make sure patients and clients can have their prescriptions filled, should their usual pharmacist withdraw services, by either directing them to participating pharmacists in their area or to alternative arrangements that we have put in place.

Our advice to people who are concerned is that the first thing to do is to ask their pharmacists if they will be withdrawing services from 1st August 2009 or if they will be continuing to provide a service to them.”

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 this website.

The HSE Infoline operates from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday.

ixoy

I presume the fact there's only three counties there is just the way the list is being poorly compiled? That provisions will be set up in all counties? So far it's a very weak list with not much time left to get it updated before the deadline.

tbh

on the radio this morning, the head pharmacist said that the western seaboard was the worst affected, so they must be sorting our hippy brothers and sisters first

I'd expect more info to become available as we get nearer to the date, but if anyone rings the helpline and gets a list of pharmacies in their area that are definitely dispensing, they can post those pharmacies here.

The HSE person said that only 30% of pharmacies had given notice to withdraw.
That is merely a statistical observation, and doesn't have any implications as to the rights and wrongs of the dispute.

jeepers

tbh wrote: »

on the radio this morning, the head pharmacist said that the western seaboard was the worst affected, so they must be sorting our hippy brothers and sisters first

I'd expect more info to become available as we get nearer to the date, but if anyone rings the helpline and gets a list of pharmacies in their area that are definitely dispensing, they can post those pharmacies here.

The HSE person said that only 30% of pharmacies had given notice to withdraw.
That is merely a statistical observation, and doesn't have any implications as to the rights and wrongs of the dispute.

If only 30% have withdrawn then there really isn't a problem. I think 1100 is probably a closer representation of the truth.

My local pharmacy (close relative) , will dispense in exceptional circumstances only and only to current patients, no new patients. 99% will be directed to the HSE contingency alternative.

All Boots pharmacies will be dispensing and have drafted in additional pharmacists from the UK for Aug 1st.

All Unicare pharmacies will be dispensing but they might have an issue with new patients.

wicklowgal

jeepers wrote: »

All Unicare pharmacies will be dispensing but they might have an issue with new patients.

Ah cr*p, that's not really good news for me. I had always gotten my prescription in an independent pharmacy but was now going to rely on my local Unicare pharmacy from August onwards (as my regular pharmacy intends on pulling out of the LTI scheme).

May have to source my nearest Boots now! Hopefully the dispute will sort itself out before the panic though.

byhookorbycrook

2 pharmacies in town here are pulling out.

tbh

ok lads, from here on in can we restrict it to posts like:

Name of your town

Pharmacies you know for sure will still be dispensing (i.e. because they've told you).

BC

Dublin

Clongriffin Pharmacy, Clongriffin.

Pharmacist isnt too happy about it but she doesn't own the place and has been told to continue dispensing.

Edited to say they will also take new patients.

Fraggle00

jeepers wrote: »

All Boots pharmacies will be dispensing and have drafted in additional pharmacists from the UK for Aug 1st.

Any old UK pharmacist can't just waltz over here and start dispensing medicines. UK pharmacists are entitled to be registered here but the process of registration takes weeks if not months. Any pharmacists drafted would need to be Irish qualified already.

LegacyUser

McGleenans Pharmacy, Greystones, Co. Wicklow will still be dispensing as normal from August 1st.

LegacyUser

Mulvenna's pharmacy in Dungloe will be open but they say they can't cope with too many new patients. The staff are very inexperienced and they haven't much stock.

cuckoo

Dublin, Rathmines

The Doc Morris pharmacy on Rathmines Road will be dispensing after August 1, asked today and they said there was no problem with taking on new patients.

ElBarco

Vista Pharmacy in Naas - will be dispensing after the 1st and will take new patients.

Think I'm going to go with these

Soapy Joe

dispensing pharmacies only, please.

GerardKeating

Walshs in An Spidéal are still dispensing next month. (confirmed on the phone a few minute ago).

There were on the origional IPU opt out list, but not the "new" one. There are on the HSE list for those staying with the schemes.

Soapy Joe

Now you see what a shower of liars work in the HSE.

Mod Edit: I've asked you nicely before, Joe. You keep disrailing this thread. 7 day ban.