Age Action is urging all older people who are on regular medication to take steps, as a matter of priority, to ensure they are not adversely affected by the pharmacists’ dispute by some pharmacists.

Over 760 pharmacists have served the HSE with notice that they will withdraw from the community drug schemes from this Saturday (August 1). The HSE has put a contingency plan in place for parts of the country which will be left without sufficient numbers of pharmacists.

Age Action is urging all older people on regular medication (e.g. those on Medical Cards and those who use the Drug Payment Scheme) to:

· Contact their existing pharmacist as a matter of priority this week to see if they are withdrawing from these schemes. If they are, the older person should ask for any prescriptions they are holding for you and your medication records;
· Check the next most suitable pharmacy which is remaining in the community drugs schemes (details are published in today’s newspapers, on www.hse.ie and are available by contacting the HSE information line at 1850 24 1850);
· Go to your participating pharmacy of choice and fill your prescription for August.

“It is important that older people act to ensure that the dispute does not impact on their supply of medication,” Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said. “For people in rural areas it may mean organising a lift to the pharmacist and arranging transport to an alternative pharmacist. We would urge families and neighbours to help those who do not have public transport.”

People in parts of the country where the HSE is establishing its own pharmacies to meet local needs, should also make themselves aware of the location of these services at www.hse.ie or by phoning the HSE information line 1850 24 1850

“But it is important that people do not put off this decision until the day they go to fill their prescription – act today to ensure you can continue normally with your medication,” Mr Timmins said.

Meanwhile, Age Action has urged the HSE to ensure that its contingency plans prioritise older people who are house-bound and/or live in remote rural areas without public transport.

The older people’s charity regrets that sick, older people have been caught up in this dispute, and has also urged both sides to recommence talks so that a solution can be found.