One pharmacist has argued expanding pharmacists’ roles to have more power would reduce “lengthy delays” for GP appointments. 

A public consultation has been launched to help inform the expansion of the role of pharmacy workers that could allow them to prescribe medications for certain common conditions. 

This follows the introduction of a taskforce on July 24th, 2023, to discuss polices that will enable the expansion of the role in Ireland. 

Pharmacist Rebecca Barry said they have advocated for the expansion of their role “for a long time”. 

“GPs have been under a lot of pressure in Ireland,” she told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“There can be quite lengthy delays sometimes accessing healthcare from GPs for some very simple-to-treat and easily solved problems. 

“Part of what the taskforce [Health Minister Stephen Donnelly] has instructed them to do is to look at expanding the role of pharmacists.” 

She said pharmacists are currently the “most accessible healthcare provider” in Ireland as you can just enter without issue. 

Pharmacists should therefore, according to Ms Barry, be given the power to provide more healthcare. 

The taskforce has so far discussed allowing pharmacists to prescribe medicine without a doctor’s visit for common and uncomplicated conditions. 

Pharmacists' treatment

Ms Barry suggested conditions such as a sore throat could be easily treated by a pharmacist without a GP visit. 

She also suggested pharmacy workers could offer all forms of contraception with a doctor involved. 

She pointed out that pharmacists already administer emergency contraception – plan B – without a doctor so the required skillset already exists. 

“We've proven that that can be done very successfully through community pharmacy,” she said. 

According to Ms Barry, pharmacy workers could also prescribe for conditions such as bacterial skin infections that are more “time sensitive” but not too serious. 

Although GPs might argue pharmacists will not be able to sufficiently diagnose and offer a prescription, Ms Barry said all concerns would be addressed at the task force. 

She said pharmacy workers would also likely keep a list of medication prescribed to customers to keep their GP up to date. 

The public consultation closes on Friday, June 28th. 

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