Smyth pointed out that in some cases, people don’t have family.
“So what’s the answer? The answer to me is quite simple. Maintain the blister packs.”
He understands that they can be expensive for pharmacists to prepare but said “someone needs to find the money” to fund the service.
“That’s the safest option. That’s the best option. It’s the option that families want. It’s the option that care companies want.”
Linda Robinson, the chief executive of Age NI – a charity for older people – said blister packs were a simple way to manage risk when it came to people’s health.
“It’s a really good service. I see it in action every day and I see and hear the benefits of it,” she told the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme.
“I think it should be protected and it should be extended out to those that need it.”
Community Pharmacy NI – which represents the industry here – said “the priority for pharmacy teams will always be to maintain this service to existing patients, where appropriate, and to continue doing this in a safe way”.
It added: “Pharmacies will carefully weigh up several factors including convenience, need, patient safety, pharmacy procedures and other medicines-taking support options that exist when dealing with any new requests.”