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Pharmacies on Long Term Illness list

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    #2
    tim0ney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 87 ✭✭tim0ney


    The lists of pharmacies that are continuing to dispense are entirely inaccurate, and grossly over-estimate the amount of pharmacies that are dispensing under government schemes. Please do not take these lists as accurate in any way, shape, or form. It is HSE spin.

    The best course of action for patients on the LTI scheme [and any other scheme] is to contact your usual local pharmacy before the end of this month, and ask them about their dispensing arrangements.


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    #3
    jeepers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 61 ✭✭jeepers


    tim0ney wrote: »
    The best course of action for patients on the LTI scheme [and any other scheme] is to contact your usual local pharmacy before the end of this month, and ask them about their dispensing arrangements.

    List is useless but they do have a smaller list of definite confirmations (pharmacies that responded to registered post enquiry as to their intentions). Safest course of action is to ring the helpline 1850 24 1850 and check is your local one of them. If not then find the closest and confirm that they will take new customers.

    It is now very likely that even some participating pharmacies will have their shutters down until the dispute is resolved.


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    #4
    KiLLeR CoUCh
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭KiLLeR CoUCh


    I dunno, I wouldn't trust the list at all. I see two local pharmacies on it that I've spoken to and they will not be dispensing anything from the drug schemes after August 1st...


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    #5
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Talking about this right now on the lunchtime news. I've been used :(


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    #6
    GerardKeating
    Registered Users Posts: 7,666 ✭✭✭GerardKeating


    tim0ney wrote: »
    The lists of pharmacies that are continuing to dispense are entirely inaccurate, and grossly over-estimate the amount of pharmacies that are dispensing under government schemes. Please do not take these lists as accurate in any way, shape, or form. It is HSE spin.

    The best course of action for patients on the LTI scheme [and any other scheme] is to contact your usual local pharmacy before the end of this month, and ask them about their dispensing arrangements.

    My local pharamacy is on both list, the IPU list of those who are withdrawing and HSE list of those staying it.


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    #7
    tim0ney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 87 ✭✭tim0ney


    I'd trust the IPU list over the HSE list - what the HSE have done is compiled a list of pharmacies they think didn't give crystal-clear notice of withdrawal, and stuck them on their list, against their wishes, to make their contingency plans seem more solid.

    They aren't solid.

    So if you require any medication, at all, don't rely on the HSE. Pop into your local pharmacy before the end of this month, and talk to them.


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    #8
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    Phoned the HSE this morning. Gave me the name of a pharmacy that was dispensing. Phoned it guess what its not!

    So I phoned the HSE back asked why i was advised(Nothing to smart) Lady said they never advised they stopped. I anticipated this. Had asked the pharmacy they said they had.

    I went down spoke to my pharmacist and she advises me that no one in the area is dispenseing. I live in Louth/Meath

    I understand the HSE and I understand the pharmacists but I am extreamly p1ssed with the HSE. A simple confirmation phone call costing how much? to each pharmacy will stop a massive amount of confusion,

    I now see that a massive amount of perscriptions are bein filled early to "Stock up" I have no sympathy with the HSE. Its very poor management.


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    #9
    jeepers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 61 ✭✭jeepers


    Check here for the list that won't be dispensing.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61350571&postcount=109


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    #10
    lucernarian
    Registered Users Posts: 9,235 ✭✭✭lucernarian


    Firstly, I called the HSE line today. Spoke to a lady who listed many pharmacists (not all) that I knew of in Drogheda as being in the LTI scheme after 1st August. Checked the IPU list and the HSE list. Every pharmacist I could think of in Drogheda (barring Boots of course) is on both lists!

    What a joke, I know no more about who will or won't be accepting my prescription than I did a month ago...


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    #11
    upthedub
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭upthedub


    What exactly does this mean if i have the lic??


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    #12
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    upthedub wrote: »
    What exactly does this mean if i have the lic??

    What do you mean?


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    #13
    upthedub
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭upthedub


    What is the fuss about??


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    #14
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    upthedub wrote: »
    What is the fuss about??

    Are you or your kids receiving medicine under the long term illness program?


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    #15
    upthedub
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭upthedub


    Joey the lips wrote: »
    Are you or your kids receiving medicine under the long term illness program?
    Yes i am..


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    #16
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    upthedub wrote: »
    Yes i am..

    Well then you need to know from August 1st where your medicine is coming from because a lot of pharmacies will not be dispensing under this program free of charge any more.

    Get intouch with your local pharmacy and ask them will they be dispensing and if not contact the HSE for your nearest pharmacy. Then phone that pharmacy and confirm they are.


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    #17
    Agonist
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,329 ✭✭✭Agonist


    I haven't been keeping up with the news on this so sorry, but

    Is this move a temporary protest or will I have to make a permanent move to a new pharmacy? I really like my pharmacist.

    Someone mentioned Boots, are they still dispensing to medical card patients?

    Should I apply for a Drugs Repayment Scheme card? Will I have to pay €125 per month in future?

    Is there a special LTI drugs payment scheme? I have a medical card now but may not be eligible for one if my circumstances change (and I have a long term illness)?

    Any help/info would be great


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    #18
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    Agonist wrote: »
    I haven't been keeping up with the news on this so sorry, but

    Is this move a temporary protest or will I have to make a permanent move to a new pharmacy? I really like my pharmacist.

    Someone mentioned Boots, are they still dispensing to medical card patients?

    Should I apply for a Drugs Repayment Scheme card? Will I have to pay €125 per month in future?

    Is there a special LTI drugs payment scheme? I have a medical card now but may not be eligible for one if my circumstances change (and I have a long term illness)?

    Any help/info would be great

    Thats the problem we all like our pharmacists. None of us know for how long but personally. Its not sustainable. either your pharmacist will stay and dispense or go bust there is no in between. They cannot afford just to be private


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    #19
    BC
    Registered Users Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭BC


    Agonist wrote: »

    Should I apply for a Drugs Repayment Scheme card? Will I have to pay €125 per month in future?

    Is there a special LTI drugs payment scheme? I have a medical card now but may not be eligible for one if my circumstances change (and I have a long term illness)?

    The LTI book is available to anyone who has an illness that is listed as a Long Term Illness. Its not means tested so your circumstances are irrelevant. See here for the details: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/health/health-related-benefits-and-entitlements/long_term_illness_scheme

    The drug payment scheme is also affected by the "strike" (I don't believe it will be permanent!) so getting set up for that makes no difference. You need to find a pharmacist who is not striking.


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    #20
    Soapy Joe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 25 ✭Soapy Joe


    The answer is to phone your TDs and tell them what you think. The HSE have no workable plans. The answer is to get Mary Harney to sit down and talk - and she will not unless people tell this to their TDs.


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    #21
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    Soapy Joe wrote: »
    The answer is to phone your TDs and tell them what you think. The HSE have no workable plans. The answer is to get Mary Harney to sit down and talk - and she will not unless people tell this to their TDs.


    You would think so! I tried that. Best of luck if you get further than me! The HSE is a complete [EMAIL="B@lls"]B@lls[/EMAIL] and I was never for privatisation but come next week I will be phone, phoneing and phoneing!


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    #22
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    An incredible dispute, big side won't talk to the little side cause they think they have upper hand.

    One side claims it's 130m the other 169m but won't even answer the phone to discuss this 40m gap. That 40m will equate to over 1000 job loses. The arrogance is astonishing.


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    #23
    Joey the lips
    Registered Users Posts: 10,262 ✭✭✭✭Joey the lips


    I wrote to the minister last month. They responded with why they done it. I brought this response down to the chemist and asked if it was true. They showed me a response that was already drawn up proving the ministers assumptions untrue

    so the way I saw it was. The dept of health issued a statement. The pharmacy union responded to it and delt with the points. When I asked why the dept issued the same statement haveing had the points delt with by the pharmacy union. So this is reckless by my understanding.

    I wrote to my loca fine gael man telling him of this.... I am still waiting..... Waiting.... See i accept things until they are unprovable and the HSE has proved to be unreasonable by shoveling the same tripe.

    Like I say! next week will reveal all!


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    #24
    Soapy Joe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 25 ✭Soapy Joe


    yes, unfortunately it will. But as I say the answer to this problem is political - and it will not be Mary Harney who will make that decision. It will be Fianna Fail and the Greens. I am not party political but that is the way it is - they must be told to sort out this sorry mess. Sorry but please, for all our sakes make the call to you local FIanna fail and Green politicians. This will only be solved by patients telling patients to sort it out - sooner rather than later.


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    #25
    ixoy
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 17,993 Mod ✭✭✭✭ixoy


    Anyone else feel that there's going to be a lot of shocked people come Aug 1st who aren't aware of this? It all seems relatively low-key so far despite the massive impact it will have.


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    #26
    Soapy Joe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 25 ✭Soapy Joe


    I think the reason for this is that no-one actually believes (including the politicians) that pharmacists will follow though with this. But when your backs are against the wall.....


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    #27
    jeepers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 61 ✭✭jeepers


    Virtual certainty now.

    Pharmacists won't even agree to meet Harney at this stage; if you're going to be treated like something she finds stuck to the the sole of her shoe, why would they.

    It will need an independent arbitrator between the IPU and some other minister.

    And it's shutters down! people won't even be able to pay for drugs they need.


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    #28
    lucernarian
    Registered Users Posts: 9,235 ✭✭✭lucernarian


    Not being able to buy the medicines full stop, is very interesting altogether. I have to wonder why chemists would refuse sale, if people are willing to pay money for their medications, on the back of their LTI or GMS prescriptions.

    Why should patients be prevented from paying for medications?

    What if I get any auld GP to write a prescription for the insulin and dosages I need, as a private customer? Surely the pharmacist would have to accept that?


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    #29
    jeepers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 61 ✭✭jeepers


    There's a discrepancy with the HSE figure 130m and the IPU figure 169m(validated by PWC).

    Mary Harney/HSE won't even discuss this 40m discrepancy (potentially 1000's of jobs) with the IPU. Why? I think the answer is obvious.

    Pharmacists are closing shop completely in the hope that it will force this and other issues out in to the open for discussion. This will be the likely outcome when the HSE contingency plan is unable to cope.


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    #30
    KiLLeR CoUCh
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭KiLLeR CoUCh


    To_be_confirmed wrote: »
    Not being able to buy the medicines full stop, is very interesting altogether. I have to wonder why chemists would refuse sale, if people are willing to pay money for their medications, on the back of their LTI or GMS prescriptions.

    Why should patients be prevented from paying for medications?

    What if I get any auld GP to write a prescription for the insulin and dosages I need, as a private customer? Surely the pharmacist would have to accept that?

    It's an odd one alright. I used to work for a pharmacy last year and was working last weekend to cover somebody on holidays. I was told by the boss to tell any GMS or LTI patients that they'll have to go elsewhere because we're not allowed to charge them for their meds. Apparently it's a-okay for somebody on the DPS to pay for their meds if they like but not so for the other schemes.


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    #31
    tim0ney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 87 ✭✭tim0ney


    KiLLeR CoUCh wrote: »
    It's an odd one alright. I used to work for a pharmacy last year and was working last weekend to cover somebody on holidays. I was told by the boss to tell any GMS or LTI patients that they'll have to go elsewhere because we're not allowed to charge them for their meds. Apparently it's a-okay for somebody on the DPS to pay for their meds if they like but not so for the other schemes.

    That's not the way the majority of pharmacies are doing it - the DPS scheme is still a government scheme - they pay for med costs over and above €100 for a family for a months supply of medication. So the pharmacy, upon withdrawal from all govt schemes, wouldn't be reimbursed for anything above the €100 they give out to patients..I can see how it can be viewed as a private scheme though, if the family don't get a lot of medication per month.

    Anyway, GMS and LTI patients have the option to pay for their medication if they really want to. It's just that they shouldn't have to. And it's an awful pity that things have come to this; that Harney and the HSE have kept their hands against their ears and refused to even think of entering into viable dialogue with pharmacists who WANT to save money, and use generic substitution, etc. It just seems like common sense really isn't prevailing, and it's the patients that are going to get hurt.

    The HSE dispensaries are a mess, apparently, and I wouldn't want anybody to have to venture to one of them, let alone being a pharmacist trying to cover 10 local pharmacies in one tiny room. Let's just hope this mess is sorted out quickly, for all our sakes.


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