Bring Back Minor Ailments Scheme, Says O'Neill

A leading member of the Northern Ireland Assembly's Health Committee has called for the speedy re-establishment of a previously successful initiative to tackle minor ailments at community level.

The Sinn Féin Mid Ulster MLA and Deputy Chair of the Stormont committee, Michele O'Neill, welcomed the fact that the Minister of Health, Michael McGimpsey (pictured) will 'revisit the Minor Ailments Scheme'.

However Ms O'Neill stated that this should be a priority for the Minister.

"I welcome the fact that Michael McGimpsey has stated to the Health Committee that he will revisit the minor ailments scheme," she said.

"Sinn Féin had long pressed for the re-establishment of this scheme. Michael McGimpsey must however make the re-establishment of this vital scheme a priority.

"The minor ailment scheme ran from 2005 and involved pharmacists dispensing medication for ailments such as colds or flu's.

"However the scheme has seen 97% of pharmacists withdraw from it over disagreements with the Department of Health," she continued.

"It is a scheme that had a high uptake in 'across the board' and had a significantly lower financial cost than the system currently in place saving the Department of Health £8 million.

"On top of this it was also particularly successful in delivery in areas of high social deprivation tackling needs in these areas," she said, noting that the benefits of this scheme cannot be brushed away lightly.

"Michael McGimpsey must endeavour to resolve the current difficulties between the Department of Health and those who discharge the scheme, namely the pharmacists in our streets and shopping centres."

The original initiative was intended to launch a groundbreaking service to deal with minor illness and injury run by local pharmacists.

The NI Minor Ailment Service was to provide patient self-care arrangements through access to a safe and high quality pharmaceutical service, and to utilise the skills of community pharmacists and so as to 'free-up' GP appointments for those patients who have more need to see a doctor.

However, the scheme was firmly rejected by the majority of community pharmacy contractors in Northern Ireland earlier this year.

It would have meant an injection of significant new funding of £1.5m each year which would have greatly increased the income for pharmacists, enlarged the range of services available to patients and helped ease the burden on GPs.

See: Minor Ailments Service Halted

(BMcC)