Senator Maura Hopkins has welcomed the inclusion of Roscommon Town in the Pharmacy Minor Ailment Scheme pilot.
Senator Hopkins said, “The scheme allows Medical Card holders to receive treatment for common illnesses directly from their local community pharmacist, without the need for a visit to their GP. At present Medical Card holders need to receive a prescription from their GP even where the medications are available over the counter.”
“The minor ailment scheme allows pharmacies to dispense specific treatments and should help to alleviate the high volumes of traffic currently going through our GP practices while also allowing medical card holders quicker treatment for minor ailments.”
“Treatments covered under the scheme include, allergic rhinitis, athlete’s foot, cold sores, constipation, diarrhoea, fungal skin or nail infections, emergency contraception, psoriasis, scabies, and other conditions that would require non-prescription based treatment.”
Senator Hopkins continued, “Roscommon town is one of the locations included in the trial, Boots, Chemco, Molloy’s, Hynes’, McGuinness’ and Rosmed Pharmacies are all currently offering these services since Friday July 1st for an initial 3 month period.”
Maura Hopkins concluded, “I am delighted to see such a positive step in the provision of health services locally, I hope the scheme can be rolled out widely once the pilot has been completed.”