Senator Robbie Gallagher firstly acknowledged the “pressures experienced by many GPs across the country. GPs are oversubscribed, we do not have enough GPs and people cannot get added to a GP list.” The Senator advised that this issue is escalating as a result of young people moving back from college. This cohort “is finding it difficult or impossible to get a GP.” Further, the Senator explained that “the age cohort of our GPs is also increasing. In emergency departments, people often have to wait long times for treatment. In many cases, both GPs and patients could be seen safely and more suitably elsewhere, according to many pharmacists.” While Senator Gallagher welcomed plans to increase the number of places in medical colleges and more doctors in our hospitals and in our GP service overall, “we still need to examine how to reduce the pressure. We must use all our resources to help.”
The Senator proposed that one way to alleviate the pressure on the healthcare system is through expanding the role and competencies of our community pharmacists. “International evidence shows that minor ailment schemes now being pushed forward by community pharmacists are effective in providing accessible and timely care at the lowest level of complexity, which is the key point. They allow for access to community pharmacy services for all patients and help free up capacity in primary and secondary care for more complex cases.”
Additionally, Senator Gallagher noted the findings of a recent survey conducted by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in the UK, which “estimated that one in every seven GP consultations and one out of every 12 accident and emergency attendees could have been dealt with by a visit to a pharmacist.” The Senator contended that “there is no reason the story would be any different here. Freeing up capacity in primary and secondary care by directing people to a pharmacy first is an important step to delivering on the objectives of Sláintecare. A minor ailment scheme would demonstrate Government commitment to enhancing public health access, delivering quality patient care and improving health outcomes. Pharmacists, medical experts and community pharmacies are already a natural first point of call for minor injuries and advice… Pharmacies are located in towns and villages across the country and many of them offer a seven-day service. They have the experience and commitment to build on our current services. More should be done to help alleviate the pressure on GPs.”
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