THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) has been warned it can no longer rely on the full co-operation and goodwill of pharmacists if it continues with its cost-cutting plans relating to drug costs.
The executive earlier this week announced it would be reducing margins paid to pharmaceutical wholesalers from 18 to 8 per cent in an attempt to save the health service some €100 million.
The pharmacists last night announced that if the HSE does not reconsider the move, a widespread withdrawal from the community drug scheme will be the likely outcome.
The withdrawal would mean that medical cardholders would have to pay for prescription services and drug payment scheme members would have to pay the full price for their needs and claim back what they are owed at a later date.
The warning came as some 1,000 pharmacists from across the country met for an emergency meeting in Dublin yesterday to discuss their response to a new HSE plan. However, pharmacists believe the move is forcing them to take an non-negotiated 30 per cent pay cut and will lead to the closure of pharmacies.
Irish Pharmacy Union president Michael Guckian told the meeting that over the past six months Irish pharmacists had been subjected to abuse, innuendo and bullying from the HSE, but he was confident that they would remain united and not roll over in the face of adversity.
He said the HSE had unilaterally changed fundamental terms of pharmacists' contracts, including payments, without discussion, agreement or evaluation and that this was not acceptable.
"The HSE is forcing change on the sector without any regard for patient care and they have ignored the advice of their own consultants who have warned about the need to implement changes in a reasonable and gradual manner.
"If they won't listen to consultants who they have employed . . . what hope have we got of doing business with them. They may well perceive Irish pharmacists to be a soft touch, my advice to them is blunt. You can no longer rely on the co-operation and goodwill of our members," Mr Guckian said.
The meeting heard that some pharmacists are taking legal action against the executive but that this could take time.
An independent body, chaired by former IDA Ireland boss Seán Dorgan, was set up by Minister for Health Mary Harney over a week ago to examine the dispute and Mr Guckian urged the Government to withdraw the new system until an independent group, which is looking at new contracts for pharmacists, had reported.
Mr Guckian said that the union would not be directing its members towards any particular course of action regarding the matter.
"Individual pharmacists will have to decide whether to accept what the HSE is forcing on them and deal with the implications for their business and the long-term effects it will have on the service they can provide to patients, or to consider their continued participation in the community drugs schemes," he said.
Paul O'Keeffe, a pharmacist from Cork city, said that he was very annoyed about the new system, which he believes will test his businesses ability to stay open by reducing profits by one-third.
"Our pharmacy is in a very disadvantaged area of Cork city and if this goes ahead, I don't know if we will be able to keep going," Mr O'Keeffe said.
The pharmacists' union said that it had contacted the HSE to finalise contingency plans to ensure that patient safety is not compromised in the event of any disruption of pharmacy services that might occur.
The HSE last night said the cost-cutting measures were seeking to achieve value for money for patients and attempting to bring prices in line with those in other EU countries.
"We feel there are inconsistencies in the system and we want to address them. In a wealthy area pharmacists get paid more for doing the same task a pharmacist in a high medical card area is doing," a HSE spokesman said.
