[WATCH] Prescription meds for chronic conditions can now be collected from pharmacies

Health Minister Chris Fearne says persons with chronic conditions will now be able to pick up their prescriptions from their local pharmacies as part of the one-stop shop scheme Pharmacy of Your Choice
 

€28 million has been allotted annually to the scheme
€28 million has been allotted annually to the scheme
POYC scheme now offers prescription medicine for chronic conditions

People with chronic conditions will now be able to pick up their prescription medicine from pharmacies within their communities, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Tuesday.

Speaking at the launch of a new service, Fearne said that €28 million had been allotted annually to the POYC scheme, with some 143,000 people registered on the database. These patients have received some 250 million products.

He said that in the beginning the scheme started off with a small number of pharmacies on the list, but has now expanded to some 220.

Persons have received some 250 million products
Persons have received some 250 million products

“Around 5,000 new patient slips are issued every month,” Fearne said. The IT system he said would drastically cut down on patients’ paperwork and allow doctors to update medical information in real-time. 

Fearne added that patients who were not able to receive medication due to its rarity will now be catered for under this scheme.

Celia Falzon, the chief executive of the POYC service, said that it was important for people to be able to pick up their medication from their local pharmacy. She said the new IT investment would also cover the home delivery of medications for patients over 70 years old. 

In April Fearne had announced that the five-year validity of the yellow slip - so-called Schedule Five - for patients had been doubled to 10 years, in another bid to slash paperwork.