The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, received Government approval on 3 October to publish the General Scheme of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023. The Bill, when enacted, will amend current legislation to enhance the Minister’s power to make regulations for the management of and access to medicinal products.
Announcing the publication of the General Scheme, Minister Donnelly said, “The Bill is necessary to prepare the way for some much-needed changes around oversight of medicines supplies and access to medicines. I have been clear that I want to further enhance the contribution that pharmacists make to our health services, and this will be an important step forward in that regard. I have established a Taskforce on pharmacy and will be getting recommendations later this month. This legislation will allow us to implement changes quickly and increase access for patients while taking pressure off our GPs.”
We are still awaiting the first draft of this bill and will update you when this is published, but we welcome this good first step and have highlighted our support for this legislation through our media activity. We have been long seeking recognition of pharmacists’ scope of practice, specifically in the area of reproductive health and therapeutic substitution, which this legislation can support.
