Has Department of Health not learned its lesson?

Alliance Health Spokesperson Kieran McCarthy has hit out at the Department of Health over its handling of the community pharmacies issue asking why it appears the department had not learned its lesson following an earlier Judicial Review defeat on another issue which was a massively costly process. He also asked officials to apologise for the decision at a Health Committee meeting on Wednesday.

Kieran McCarthy MLA said: “Those responsible for the decisions taken in the department regarding community pharmacies should be brought to book.

“There was an earlier Judicial Review won against the department on another issue costing around £110,000, and then we have another poor decision from the department, this time on the issue of community pharmacies. I don’t know how much this bad decision from the department will cost the public, but I would imagine it will be a daunting sum.

“At the Health Committee meeting on Wednesday I asked officials to apologise for their blunder and I will be very annoyed if they do not do so.

“Have the department not learned their lessons since the previous Judicial Review? It appears they have not, and they must get with it quickly because their community pharmacies plan was a disgrace. This lamentable decision also would have caused massive distress for people who with work in pharmacies around Northern Ireland and I am pleased that the Judicial Review overturned it.”

ENDS