Stephen Donnelly accused of leaving pharmacies in the dark over fundingMichael BoltonMinister for Health Stephen Donnelly has been accused of ignoring Ireland’s 1,900 pharmacies and leaving them in the dark over their future funding. The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has said the sector is rapidly losing faith in Mr Donnelly and his department’s ability to utilise pharmacies appropriately and is now campaigning for meaningful engagement. Derek Reilly the newly appointed interim Secretary General of the IPU said, “Pharmacies have endured a 15-year-long pay freeze at the hand of the government. We are reaching the point where the future viability of many pharmacies is coming into question.”Mr Reilly accused Mr Donnelly of discriminating against the pharmacy profession. “Community Pharmacy is now the only healthcare sector that has had no pay restoration since the financial crisis.

Source: Irish Independent June 04, 2023 23:40 UTC