AQO 1300/22-27

Mr Danny Donnelly
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 28/11/2024
Answered On Date: 09/12/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to outline any business cases that have been submitted to secure funding for the new IT system needed to deliver the Community Pharmacy Strategic Plan 2030.

Answer:

A bid was made for Capital funding for the e-pharmacy programme by SPPG in April 2022 however due to pressures on the departmental capital budget, this has not yet been prioritised.

Full delivery of the strategic vision for Community Pharmacy services is subject to securing additional recurrent funding for an enhanced IT infrastructure that is needed for their safe implementation at scale. Specifically, within the e-pharmacy programme, the Go Pharmacy NI project is essential to digitise community pharmacy services and connect embed them within the HSC.

The Department published an Investment Plan which outlines the areas for investment in the delivery of the strategy for which funding has been secured, or will be bid for, during the 2024/25 financial year. The plan may be updated during the year if opportunities for further investment arise.