Pharmacy chains incorrectly on list

FOUR PHARMACY chains with almost 70 shops have said they should not be on the HSE list of pharmacies which are to continue to dispense drugs and medicines under the State community drug scheme.

The chains contacted the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) over the last few days to clarify that they will not take part in the State drug schemes from tomorrow.

Hickey’s Pharmacy is the largest of these groups, according to the union, with 26 branches over the country in Dublin, Louth, Wicklow, Meath, Kildare, Wexford and Cork.

McCabe’s Pharmacy, which has 17 shops in Dublin, Limerick, Louth and Wexford, was also in contact with the union as well as Bradleys which has 16 pharmacies in Dublin, Wicklow and Louth, the IPU said.

One chemist in Portarlington, Co Laois, closed down in May but was also on the list. It was part of the Dunne chain of nine pharmacies which is not taking part in the scheme despite being on the list.

Branches of all of these chains were last night still on the HSE’s online list of pharmacies which were open for State drugs scheme business. The list was last updated on Wednesday.

“This shows that the credibility of that list is totally undermined,” an IPU spokesman said last night. He said that 150 pharmacies had been in contact with the same problem earlier in the week.

In a letter to pharmacies earlier this week, the HSE acknowledged a “small number of inaccuracies” in the list of more than 800 pharmacies which are to continue operating the scheme. Meanwhile, a group of pharmacies has agreed not to proceed at this stage with its High Court application for an injunction over cuts in their fees for dispensing drugs.

The Haire group of pharmacies, also known as the Kissanes group, claims the cuts will put it into a loss-making situation.

They claim a decision by the Minister for Health and Children to bring in regulations from July 1st last, cutting their fees by about 25 per cent, is an interference with their constitutional property rights.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan yesterday began hearing an application by the pharmacies for an injunction preventing the Ministers for Health and Finance, the Government and the Attorney General applying the new fees system.

Later yesterday, following talks outside court, the judge was told by Gerard Hogan SC, for the pharmacies, it had been agreed between the sides that arrangements would be put in place for an expedited hearing of the main action on October 27th.

Mr Hogan said that while it may be some time before a judgment would be available on the main action, his clients reserved the right to seek temporary relief from the courts regarding their financial position.