Annual Report 2016
The Annual Report and Financial Statements highlight the work and achievements of
the PSI in 2016.
The work of the PSI is underpinned across each of its functions with the need to maintain and improve best practice in the pharmacy profession, in the interests of delivering the highest standards of care to patients, and contributing to public trust and efficiency of service in the health sector.
Developments during the year included:
- The introduction of the new Pharmacy Assessment System to all community pharmacies. The self-audit tool is designed to aid ongoing performance review, assess compliance with medicines and pharmacy legislation, and ultimately identify any improvements required in pharmacies.
- The development of the Future Pharmacy Practice in Ireland - Meeting Patient Needs Report, which examined how pharmacists can best meet the needs of patients and the public into the future.
- The publication of the the first pharmacy Patient Charter, which sets out what pharmacy service users can expect from community pharmacists while also highlighting the role of pharmacists in healthcare provision and the expanded services available in pharmacies.
Key Statistics
Expand all
Collapse all
-
- 370 new pharmacists added to the Register of Pharmacists during the year,
an increase of 11% on 2015.
- The number of registered pharmacists increased from 5,645 in 2015 to 5,908 in 2016.
- The number of pharmaceutical assistants decreased from 423 in 2015 to 384 in 2016.
- Online continued registration by pharmacists increased from 87% in 2015 to 93% in 2016.
-
- The first ePortfolio review process, under the mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) model for pharmacists, commenced in 2016, with 250 pharmacists
randomly selected to submit an extract from their ePortfolio to the Irish Institute of Pharmacy (IIOP) for review. - A total of 164 interns sat the Professional Registration Examination (PRE) in May and October.
- The second year of the five-year fully integrated Master’s degree programmes in pharmacy provided by RCSI, TCD and UCC commenced in September 2016. In the 2016/2017 academic year, the experiential element of the programme began, with students undertaking shadow placements in the early part of 2017.
-
- The Future Pharmacy Practice - Meeting Patients' Needs Report was the result of a research project that included an extensive consultation process involving patients, healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, other regulatory bodies, and engagement with policy-makers including the Department of Health, HSE, and wider stakeholders.
- A number of guidance documents and information resources on good pharmacy practice were
developed and published in 2016 to support pharmacists. - A project to gain more extensive feedback from patients on their experience of receiving the seasonal influenza vaccination service in pharmacies across Ireland was carried out in 2016. The results demonstrated public satisfaction with the flu vaccination service provided in pharmacies, with 99% of respondents likely to return to a pharmacy for the flu vaccination.
- In 2016, 420 pharmacy practice queries were received (a 14% increase on the previous year), the majority of which were from pharmacists (69%).
-
-
There were 1,905 retail pharmacy businesses registered with the PSI at the end of 2016, up from 1,880 in 2015.
- 247 pharmacy inspections were carried out during the year, a public protection measure that checks on
the operating systems, quality and governance arrangements of a pharmacy. - The Pharmacy Assessment System was rolled out and PSI staff held 6 information events to assist pharmacists and pharmacies commence its use.
- During 2016, seven pharmacists and/or pharmacies were referred to the complaints process following the Registrar’s consideration of PSI inspection or investigation reports.
- In 2016, 39 applications for entry to Part A (registered pharmacies) of the Internet Supply List and 84 applications for entry to Part B (non-pharmacy retailers) of the list were received and processed. This is part of the protections put in place under the EU Falsified Medicines Directive, so that sellers of non-prescription medicines in Ireland are registered with the PSI.
-
- Forty-two formal complaints were received about pharmacists or pharmacies during 2016, an increase
of 55% from 2015. - The majority of complaints came from patients and related to dispensing errors and pharmacists’ behaviour and professionalism.
- The PSI received 119 expressions of concerns in 2016, compared to 90 in 2015.
- Eighteen inquiries were heard and concluded before a PSI Committee of Inquiry in 2016. The Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) heard 15 complaints while the remainder were heard by the Health Committee. Sanctions imposed included five admonishments or censures; seven undertakings; four conditions attached to pharmacists’ registration and one cancellation of a pharmacist’s registration.
-
- We published a Patient Charter as part of the PSI's commitment to make available information to pharmacy service users about expectations of care, and the role of the pharmacy regulator.
- The Council approved an updated Risk Management Policy and an Assurance Framework, and
continued the implementation of the recommendations from a review carried out by the Institute of Public Administration into the PSI’s risk management structures and practices. - The PSI website continued to see a year on year increase in website sessions and visits. The website had 21% increase in user sessions, compared to 2015.
-
- Phase one of a new IT system to support the finance function was introduced during 2016.
- Compliance with prompt payments legislation is updated quarterly on the PSI website. In quarter four, the PSI had paid 61% of its creditors within 15 days and a further 29% within 30 days
- The establishment of an in-house HR Office at the PSI was a key development in 2016