Urgent Action Needed to Ensure Women can Avail of free HRT by June 1st
Urgent Action Needed to Ensure Women can Avail of free HRT by June 1st - The Labour Party
- Another sloppy “announce first, details later” approach from Government
- Vast majority of pharmacists are saying that they will not sign up to free HRT scheme
- No information on crucial software update required to administer the scheme
- Government has strung women along on this budget commitment for months
- Women on lower incomes will suffer if free HRT is not available everywhere
Speaking in the Dáil last night, Labour Health Spokesperson Marie Sherlock TD outlined her serious concerns to the Minister for Health that the free HRT scheme, which was supposed to be rolled out in January 2025, will not be rolled out everywhere from June 1st.
Deputy Sherlock said:
“Over the past week, I have spoken to many pharmacists, from independent local pharmacists to large chains. It is apparent from this engagement that the vast majority of pharmacists will not be signing up to the free HRT scheme.
“This is a mess of the Governments own making. This amateur approach from Government to announce on live radio that pharmacists will provide this service, without any agreement from pharmacists or working out any of the details, is a bizarre way of implementing this crucial women’s health initiative. It is simply unacceptable.
“It is yet another example of the Government not doing its homework before announcing a plan. We saw this with the failure of this Government to introduce free HRT from January 2025 as promised. And at the heart of this mess, are women who will suffer the consequences.
“For many women, €35 and €70 a month for HRT is a serious cost. This is a significant monthly expense for women who rightfully expected free HRT from the start of this year. Those women will be left high and dry and will not be reimbursed for the HRT they expected to be free from January 2025.
“And I am concerned about those women who simply go without HRT. Those women who are not GMS patients but are stretched thin as it is.
“There are many issues that have yet to be addressed with the scheme. There are stock shortages with HRT medications and patches. Pharmacists are having to source stock not fully covered through the GMS scheme at present, pushing costs onto pharmacies and women, with little action from Government.
“The IT system has yet to be updated to include this scheme, with pharmacies unclear on how they will administer this system. They are not even getting the basics right.
“We are now eighteen days out from the supposed availability of this scheme everywhere. It is crucial, for the women of Ireland, and especially those women on lower incomes, that the Minister engages and negotiates with pharmacists urgently to get this scheme over the line by June 1st.”