I thank the Deputy for his question. My Department has engaged with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (The PSI) and they have submitted the information below in response to the question.
The following answer interprets the use of the word “complaints” (as per the question) as meaning “complaint” pursuant to section 33 of the Pharmacy Act 2007 (‘the Act’), i.e. statutory complaints and the process relevant to same under Part 6 of the Act.
The PSI categorises statutory complaints received into a number of sub-categories. By way of example, these sub-categories include the following (please note this is not an exhaustive list):
Behaviour.
Dispensing Error.
Emergency supply issues.
Failure to supply.
Health impairment.
Out of date medication.
Having reviewed the question to hand, the PSI’s view is that the sub-category most closely aligning to same is ‘Behaviour’.
Please see the table below setting out the statistics relevant to this category for the years 2020-2025:
|
Year
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
No. complaints
|
8
|
11
|
11
|
9
|
21
|
21
|
It is noteworthy that some complaints may fall into multiple sub-categories. For example, an individual complaint may contain multiple allegations around behaviour as well as a dispensing error(s), for instance.
In the context of the statutory complaints process as contained under Part 6 of the Act, “inspections triggered/advice issued/enforcement action taken” do not arise.
Insofar as “no further action” is concerned, all statutory complaints received by the PSI must follow the statutory complaints process as set out under Part 6 of the Act. Accordingly, any complaints received by the PSI against registrants will proceed to the Preliminary Proceedings Committee (PPC) for its consideration.
The table below sets out the PPC’s decision-making with regard to “no further action” regarding statutory complaints received.
|
Year
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
No. of complaints considered by PPC
|
37
|
59
|
58
|
77
|
50
|
89
|
|
No further action
|
12
|
28
|
40
|
36
|
32
|
52
|
