Pay Talks Process

The IPU met with officials from the Department of Health on 15 April. This meeting, the tenth in a series, focused on a green paper the IPU had submitted for discussion. This document, supported by Deloitte, outlined key factor enablers for developing a sustainable pharmacy model, including policy, operations, funding, ICT, and resources. Progress is ongoing, and the IPU is committed to providing further updates as they advance towards a resolution of our pay claim. Meanwhile, the team is actively consulting with stakeholders and internal committees to create a more comprehensive white paper, targeted for publication by the end of May.

Last week, officials from the Medicines, Controlled Drugs & Pharmacy Legislation Unit of the Department of Health dedicated considerable time to visiting a community pharmacy. Their focus was to gain a first-hand understanding of the record-keeping requirements, the predominantly paper-based nature of current practices, and the utilisation of Healthmail within the community pharmacy setting. This unit, responsible for overseeing the legislation governing pharmacy practices, is instrumental in supporting the transition towards a more digital, less paper-intensive framework through enabling legislation.