AQW 10207/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 16/04/2024
Answered On Date: 30/04/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health whether a deadline has been set for ensuring that pay of practice-based pharmacists is more aligned to that of other multi-disciplinary team members.

Answer:

My Department is aware of the various issues regarding remuneration for GP practice pharmacists employed by GP Federations which you have raised. I can assure you that such issues are already subject to ongoing discussions between the Department of Health (DoH) and key stakeholders.

The GP Pharmacist Oversight Board was established by the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) within the DoH in December 2023. The group brings together representatives from all key stakeholder groups, including SPPG, DoH, GP Federations and GPC (General Practitioners Committee) to facilitate collaborative working to optimise the working arrangements of the GPP workforce, in line with strategic priorities of the DoH Medicines Optimisation Quality Framework. The group will oversee the delivery of the service and facilitate discussion and resolution to issues relating to the GPP workforce employed in General Practices. The group also aims to develop the General Practice Pharmacist workforce, in line with DoH strategic direction and the Pharmacy Workforce Review, which is being progressed through Service Delivery and Service Development subgroups.

DoH will continue to work closely with stakeholders over the following months to address the issues to which this question refers