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2.11 Deputy G.P. Southern of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding the increased risk to the organisation' caused by pharmacy services cuts:
Will the Minister inform Members what the increased risk to the organisation highlighted by her department concerning the C.S.R. (Comprehensive Spending Review) spending decision, HSS-S5, on pharmacy services was?
Deputy A.E. Pryke of Trinity (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
Health and Social Services Department undertakes a risk assessment for all C.S.R. proposals. The assessment relating to this particular one - review of the pharmacy services - did find that a potential risk increase to the organisation may have arisen had it been necessary to reduce the level of out of hours service. In the event we increased pharmacy service provision. No reduction was made so that there was no increase in risk.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
I thank the Minister for her answer and for her extensive answer to a similar written question. Could the Minister assure Members that the changes that were made have not produced a reduction in senior pharmacy cover in the hospital?
The Deputy of Trinity :
Yes, the actual review was to review all skills and that has been done. Regarding cover in hospital, as I said it has been increased. There was not a pharmacy open on Sunday mornings; there is one now. There has been investment into the pharmacy itself with a robotic arm to help and it continues. There is a pharmacist on call 24/7 365 days a year.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
Is that pharmacist on call a senior pharmacist?
The Deputy of Trinity :
I do not know whether it is the senior pharmacist but there is a pharmacist on call.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
Another point made at a recent inquest was into the absence or presence of funding for electronic prescribing which would help assist doctors in the hospital in their prescribing habits. Is funding likely to be brought forward for the advent of electronic prescribing?
The Deputy of Trinity :
As you know, there are quite a lot of pressures within Health and Social Services at present and we have just done the I.C.R. (Integrated Care Record) project within the hospital and that was £12 million. This is not a cheap bit of kit; it is on the list but I cannot give you a time when it will be coming in.
- The Deputy of St. Ouen :
I would just like to ask the Minister whether she could confirm that the cover is the same over the weekend as it is during the week?
The Deputy of Trinity :
As I have said, the cover at weekends is that before the pharmacy was only open on Saturday mornings, other than a pharmacist being on call. Since the review and being able to do the skill mixer, we opened the pharmacy on Sunday mornings as well. As I have said, there is always a pharmacist on call.
- Deputy G.P. Southern :
Would the Minister return to me a response to define the level of senior cover that now exists compared to what used to exist?
The Deputy of Trinity :
I ask just for confirmation of just exactly what he is asking me to do.
Deputy G.P. Southern :
To confirm that the levels of senior pharmacy cover have been maintained since this change. The Deputy of Trinity :
Yes, I can look into that and come back.
The Bailiff :
Very well. We will come next to question 13, which Deputy Higgins will ask of the Minister for Economic Development.