Monaghan Senator, Robbie Gallagher has added his support to calls for community pharmacists to administer medication in certain circumstances. The local Senator says that pressures on GP services and in some cases - the lack of services - means that an alternative method for medical assistance is required. According to Senator Gallagher, expanding the role and having a conversation about how to expand the role of community pharmacies is "key" to that.
Speaking to Northern Sound, he believes "freeing up capacity" in primary and secondary care by directing people to a pharmacy first is an important step to delivering on the objectives of Sláintecare. Senator Gallager added that "more should be done" to help alleviate the pressure on GPs.
"We are all aware of the pressures experienced by many GPs across the country," he told Northern Sound. "GPs are oversubscribed, we do not have enough GPs and people cannot get added to a GP list. We are well aware of this issue in many parts of the country, including in my own county of Monaghan, where many young people who moved back from college or whatever are finding it difficult or impossible to get a GP.
"A recent survey by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in the UK estimated that one in every seven GP consultations and one out of every 12 accident and emergency attendees could have been dealt with by a visit to a pharmacist. There is no reason the story would be any different here.
"Pharmacists, medical experts and community pharmacies are already a natural first point of call for minor injuries and advice. As the Minister of State knows, pharmacies are located in towns and villages across the country and many of them offer a seven-day service. They have the experience and commitment to build on our current services. More should be done to help alleviate the pressure on GPs. I look forward to the Minister of State's response."
