Uninvited UHM expresses dismay

The Union Haddiema Maghqudin is irritated at not having been invited to form part of Saturday's press conference announcing the Pharmacy of Your Choice scheme.

It has promised to gather together its pharmacist members to decide what industrial action to take.

In a statement yesterday, the union reiterated that the government had announced the new scheme before consulting the union, which represents pharmacists working in government pharmacies.

On Saturday, the government, the Chamber of Pharmacists and the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises - GRTU signed a memorandum of understanding on how the scheme will work. Patients will be able to pick up their free medicines from the pharmacy of their choice instead of having to make a trip to a government pharmacy. A pilot project will run in Mosta for over four months.

When contacted, UHM health section secretary Joseph Bonello complained that the union had not been invited to Saturday's signing although it was expected to form part of a committee that will analyse the system.

He also lashed out at claims made by private pharmacy owners that the service at government pharmacies was not up to scratch, saying that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi should have replied to these accusations.

Mr Bonello said the current system suffered from a lack of investment. Asked whether the UHM was against the scheme, he said this was not the case but insisted that the current situation was not the best it could be because the government had not invested enough over the years.

When contacted, a Health Division spokesman said the UHM had been consulted about the introduction of the scheme, saying that some of their suggestions had even been included in the final version of the memorandum of understanding. The union will also form part of the advisory committee that will work out the details of the scheme and make proposals for its further development.

The spokesman said government-employed pharmacists would play a crucial role in the running of the scheme during its initial phases. As the scheme develops and work shifts to private pharmacies, the role of government pharmacies will decrease. He said discussions with the UHM about the future of government pharmacists were ongoing.