BOOTS MARCH IN - PHARMACIST HITS OUT
As the multi-national Boots chain this week opened a new store at the Livinghealth Clinic in Mitchelstown, a local pharmacist has hit out at the move.
A statement issued by the pharmacy owner to The Avondhu reads, “I am surprised that the management of the new health centre invited the UK based Boots chemist chain to open a pharmacy within the same building as the GPs.
"The Minister for Health, the Department of Health, the Pharmaceutical Society and the Health Service Executive are all, as far as I am aware, against the co-location of doctors and pharmacies.
"In fact, the Pharmacy Act of 2007 has a section dealing specifically with this issue and if Mary Harney had put pen to paper and signed the relevant part of this Act (debated and passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas), it would be unlikely that the pharmacy in a ‘one stop shop’ scenario would be granted a licence. Why has Mary Harney not signed? Another example of Irish politics at work."
Efforts to make contact with a spokesperson for the Livinghealth Clinic for a comment on the matter proved unsuccessful as this issue went to press. The new pharmacy is just one of over 50 other Boots outlets throughout the republic.
The store, which will be managed by Rosalind Murphy, offers an exciting and innovative range of pharmacy and non-pharmacy healthcare products, vitamins, cosmetics, toiletries, photo products, electrical beauty products and baby products in a customer friendly environment.
Rhys Iley, director Boots Ireland told The Avondhu, “We are delighted to extend our Irish store portfolio to include Mitchelstown and look forward to offering customers an extensive product range and excellent standards of service in our new Boots store.”
The company employs over 1,400 people in Ireland, and this number is set to increase over the coming years.
Published:
Thursday 15th January 5:09pm
