Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
524. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if any advice or guidance has been provided to pharmacists with respect to the pause on changes to phased dispensing control mechanisms; if so, to provide a copy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5226/26]
View answer525. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health the steps she is taking to address the concerns raised with respect to monitored dosage systems, or blister packs, as a result of changes agreed under the Community Pharmacy Agreement; if she intends to amend previously agreed changes in phased dispensing control mechanisms during the current pause; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5227/26]
View answer526. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health if her attention has been brought to an issue related to changes under the Community Pharmacy Agreement (details supplied); if an instruction was issued to pharmacists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5228/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 524, 525 and 526 together.
As part of the Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025, all parties agreed to introduce improved controls for phased dispensing. This will ensure that patients on high-risk medicines, such as anti-psychotics or opioids, are appropriately targeted with support.
Phased dispensing and blister packing are not the same thing.
The State has supported phased dispensing for medical card holders since 1996 for patient safety reasons and will continue to do so. Community pharmacies receive additional fees for this service.
The State does not, and has never, funded blister packs. There has been no removal of that service by the State.
The evidence and health policy on blister packs, including NICE guidance, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society 2013 report, and NHS policy, indicates that blister-packing is not always the most appropriate choice for all patients to manage adherence and medication compliance. Internationally the guidance is that blister packs should be a last resort, with patients being supported by many other interventions before prescribing a blister pack.
However, the Department recognises that for certain patients, using them can be helpful, and they rely heavily on these products.
There are three groups of patients using blister packs.
The first is those people who know they have always been paying for blister packs as a private service. The second group have been getting blister packs for free from their pharmacy. There should be no change for those two groups of patients.
The third group of patients are those where their pharmacy has been giving them blister packs for free but charging the State under phased dispensing. It is possible that these pharmacies have now decided to communicate to their patients that they would introduce a charge for blister packing.
These patients are who the State are concerned about.
The current pause on the planned changes to phased dispensing rules will allow time to get information on the number of patients who may fall into Group 3.
The HSE are currently working on a robust probity plan in this regard.
The pause will also allow time to establish, working with the clinical community, which patients are most appropriate to receive blister packs. This will ensure State resources are going to protect the most vulnerable patients. Modelling and proposals on Monitored Dosing Systems will be submitted to the Minister for consideration in Q1 2026.
Of course, it remains open to pharmacies to charge patients, or not, for the use of blister packs as a private service, as many currently do.
It is important where a pharmacy charges a fee for any professional service, that they provide updated information to patients in line with the new Pricing Transparency Guidelines, which came into effect on 1st December 2025.
The Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) has confirmed that no advice or guidance has been issued by PCRS to pharmacists on this matter. However, the circulars issued in relation to the changes that were due to come into effect on the 1st January 2026 have been removed from the PCRS online pharmacy application suite. Phased dispensing continues to operate as it has heretofore during the pause. PCRS has not implemented any of the developments that were scheduled for 1st January 2026.
The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) communicated with its members in mid-December 2025, which contained a Statement from the IPU on Phased Dispensing and MDS. Please see attached file for a copy of this statement. The IPU also communicated information containing key clarifications on this matter, via its Newsletter on 18/12/2025 (copy attached also).
Statement by the Irish Pharmacy Union 12 December 2025
Information that went into IPU member Newsletter in Week 51 issued Thursday 18 December 2025
