Pharmacists will be able to extend prescriptions to 12 months under new measure

James Cox

Pharmacists will be able to extend prescriptions to 12 months from March 1st next year.

It follows a recommendation from an expert taskforce formed by Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, and is aimed at easing the pressure on GP services.

At the moment, under law, doctors are only allowed to issue prescriptions up to six months.

The new measure will not apply to all medications - just those that patients use routinely, like blood pressure tablets and the contraceptive pill.

It will be down to the pharmacist to decide if it's appropriate.

GP Dr Ilona Duffy said it is a very welcome move. Dr Duffy told Newstalk: "I think the idea of being able to extend prescriptions to 12 months is great, and it's something, as a GP, that we have looked for for many years.

"There are medications that can safely be issued in a prescription that could and should be allowed for 12 months, such as the oral contraceptive pill and other medications that don't require regular monitoring."

Eamonn Brady from Whelehan's Pharmacy in Mullingar said it will offer much more flexibility.

"[It's] win-win, for pharmacists, for GPs, but most importantly patients. We all know the situation that through no fault of GPs, they're very busy and it can take up to two weeks at times to get a prescription."

Dr Duffy also urged caution at how the new measure is applied. "If a pharmacist decides to extend a prescription, where a GP or a hospital doctor hasn't for a full 12 month period and something happens to a patient, who is going to be responsible?"