2026-04-21

124. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the up-to-date position on enhancing the position of community pharmacies as health promotion and wellness hubs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28384/26]

Pharmacies have a very strong position in their communities. They have close relationships with their customers and are very much trusted. They are the first point of contact for many people who want to discuss a health issue. There is a large network right across the country. They are found in almost every community. They are open long hours and are very much available. They are ideally situated for the delivery of health and wellness hubs. Will the Minister outline the efforts being made to expand the role of pharmacies into the area of health and wellness hubs?

I completely agree with the Deputy. They are a phenomenal asset and support and a major part of our health infrastructure. We need to think about them more as a fundamental part of our health infrastructure. Community pharmacies are right where people live. Some 85% of the population is within 5 km of a pharmacy. They are embedded in their communities. They are the first, and often easiest, place to go for trusted advice and practical support for patients. Of course, pharmacists are medicines experts, but their role goes way beyond that now and we would like it to go further. They deliver prevention and public health every day. This extends to flu vaccines, Covid vaccines and school-based programmes. Of the 26% of children who got vaccinated last winter, 56% got their flu vaccine from a pharmacist, which is remarkable. I am delighted to say that, from May, pharmacies will provide pneumococcal vaccination for eligible healthy adults over 65 who have a medical card. Pharmacies deliver services like health checks, blood pressure management, weight management, and smoking and vaping cessation programmes and help people to live with long-term conditions. All of this demonstrates the ability and willingness of community pharmacies to be an essential part of health infrastructure. A big part of the future is the 2025 community pharmacy agreement, which seeks to expand that role. This gives us the opportunity to expand the role of pharmacists in areas such as bowel screening, contraception, prescribing and medicines optimisation. Pharmacies also have an important role in improving access to contraception through the national condom distribution services. Crucially, they also provide a common conditions service, which I will speak about in my next response.

I acknowledge last year's community pharmacy agreement, which recognises the role of the pharmacy as primary care. I also acknowledge the commitment to advance the health and wellness hub side. There is a proposal, which is currently being moved on, with regard to three programmes that are to be rolled out as part of advancing these hubs. While I acknowledge these campaigns, they seem fairly limited. There is to be a week on men's health, a month on alcohol in pregnancy and a winter vaccination campaign, which many pharmacies would already be providing. I feel there is greater capacity and that there should be greater ambition. Has the Minister set out targets for the number of different campaigns that should be run or for the participation rate among pharmacists? Will she outline the rate of participation in the campaign running this month, which is on alcohol and pregnancy?

I am sorry but I do not have that figure. I will get it and come back to the Deputy, if he will forgive me. As part of the community pharmacy agreement, the Irish Pharmacy Union has agreed to support the HSE health and well-being campaigns. The Deputy has highlighted three of them. Following a consultation between the pharmacy union and the HSE, three campaigns were agreed for activation across the community pharmacy network. The Deputy has outlined them. Of course, I would like them to be doing even more, recognising how important their role is. One of the biggest changes in health is going to be the common conditions service and where we can go with it. As the Deputy is aware, 95% of pharmacists have signed up to it at this point. Community pharmacists will be able to manage eight common conditions, offering self-care advice and, where appropriate, prescribing prescription-only medications. That is a first for pharmacy in Ireland. I would very much like to see it succeed. I hope people will use it and that we can extend beyond these eight conditions to the next eight, whatever they might be.

Pharmacists have considerable knowledge and expertise. As the Minister has mentioned, this extends well beyond the pharmacological side of things, for example, into lifestyle. One would expect the wellness hub concept to expand into the area of lifestyle. Will further non-pharmacological campaigns be made available with regard to vaping, mental health, positive ageing, fitness and many other areas? It is also vital that there be prior engagement with pharmacists to identify the kind of campaigns to be run and to prepare for their roll-out. Will the Minister outline the level of engagement with pharmacies, the IPU and the various different organisations in the preparation, identification and roll-out of campaigns to ensure they are successful and have a meaningful impact in communities?

As the Deputy highlights, this is done through consultation and agreement between the pharmacy union and the HSE. My own Department engages regularly with the pharmacy union. I will ask my officials and the HSE about the nature of that engagement because I am not party to those detailed discussions. I will get a much better answer and provide it to the Deputy. The important point is that there is a measure of consultation and agreement in relation to it. Pharmacists are very excited about this expanded role and about working to the top of their professional medical training. That is what I want to enable. I want to make them a genuine alternative to a GP, where appropriate, as they will be in many, although not all, cases. I want it to be a really natural place to get a prescription and to expand the use of community pharmacies alongside every other part of our health infrastructure. I hope the Deputy will forgive me for not having a better answer than that for him at the moment but I will get him an appropriate answer.