Posted online: Apr 25th, 2008

By Dermot Keys
dermot@letterkennypost.com

The continuing crisis between the nation’s pharmacists and the HSE escalated further this week after the HSE sent faxes to an estimated 350 pharmacies throughout the country threatening legal injunctions.
Pharmacists throughout Donegal, who had informed the HSE of their decision to withdraw their services from May 1, received faxes from a firm of solicitors in Dublin. It gave them until Monday afternoon to either agree not to terminate their contracts or to give three months notice.
‘A decision by you to refuse to dispense after the date indicated in your letter is a gravely serious one,’ according to the fax.
‘Your decision carries with it the clear risk of serious disruption in the supply of medicines, pharmaceutical products and proprietary items to participating patients.’
It went on to state that the solicitors for the HSE would apply for an injunction with the High Court to compel them to fulfill their obligations.
“It is clearly aimed at intimidation when they issue faxes threatening legal injunctions against pharmacists who reserve the right to withdraw their services,” Rory O’Donnell of the North West representative of the Community Pharmacy Committee of the Irish Pharmacy Union the Letterkenny Post.
“It’s a crazy situation that the HSE continue to use the State’s resources in this way when we are ready and willing to sit down with them and talk, as we have been saying since the start of this crisis.”
He criticised the HSE’s “bullish attitude” and their refusal to meet with pharmacists.
“We want to carry on working. There’s nobody who wants to serve the public like we do. We know their needs and we’ve cared for them all their lives.
“The fact still remains that they’re asking us to dispense at a loss. They’re trying to force us with injunctions to work at a loss and this is being done with taxpayers’ money. If it wasn’t so serious it would be comical.”
He said pharmacists were hopeful that some resolution could be achieved, either through the Minister or the HSE and reiterated that they were willing to meet them to discuss the matter. Mr O’Donnell believes that Donegal pharmacists would remain steadfast in the face of the legal injunctions, which he called an example of the HSE using its dominant position to bully pharmacists.
“Pharmacists thus far have, to my knowledge, refused to be intimidated. I’m absolutely disgusted by the HSE’s actions.”