Tailored blister packs which contain the pills to be taken by patients are aimed at allowing vulnerable people to avoid confusion around the dosage and time of taking their medicines.
The question of whether pharmacists should be charging for the service or levying the State came to a head last year and potential out of pocket fees of up to €50 a month were paused to allow the Department of Health to enter discussions on the issue.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said today that agreement was reached with the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) and a “significant reform of phased dispensing arrangements” along with new patient supports will come into effect from June 1 next.
It will mean vulnerable medical card patient groups including those with diagnosed cognitive impairment or dementia, intellectual disability, physical impairment or those patients at risk of medication misuse will be supported where appropriate with a range of tailored supports including blister packs where clinically necessary, she said.
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Blister packs will remain a last resort but will be provided free-of-charge to eligible medical card patients.
“Importantly, all patients who were receiving phased dispensing or blister packs free-of-charge prior to August last year will continue to do so,” the minister said.
Phased dispensing is where medicines are supplied in smaller, scheduled amounts – for example daily or weekly pick-up – usually for high-risk medications like antipsychotics or opioids.
Blister packs are pre-organised packs showing what medicines to take and when, typically prepared weekly to support patients who might need help remembering when to take their medicines or those who have complex medication routines.
Phased dispensing has been subsidised by the State and pharmacists for decades and pharmacists receive an additional fee to provide the service. But blister packs have been excluded.
The new system will include supports such as medication reminder charts, easy-open packaging, large print or braille labels, medication alarms, phased dispensing and blister packs where clinically appropriate.
Welcoming the agreement, IPU president Tom Murray said: “This agreement strengthens our ability to protect vulnerable patients while supporting the safe, effective and evidence-based use of medicines. Patients who are not eligible under this new service for these supports may still choose to avail of medicines optimisation supports including blister packing services through their pharmacy, where this is offered, for an agreed fee, as a private service.”