HSE compels 35 pharmacies to provide medicine to public
The HSE has secured a High Court order compelling 35 pharmacies in the East of the country to continue to provide medicines to the public.
The HSE sought the order dues to what it claims is the "grave risk" to the public safety because without giving notice the pharmacies in question have ceased providing services to the HSE in accordance with the terms of contracts they had entered into.
Today at the High Court Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan granted the HSE an interim injunction against 35 pharmacies the Hickey Group and the Bradley Group, that are part of two separate groups of associated companies.
Under the terms of the injunction, which was granted on an ex parte (one side only) basis the two groups must continue to provide services to the HSE pending the service of a notice of termination to continue to provide those services in accordance with the terms of Community Pharmacy Contract.
Mr Justice Sheehan said that he was satisfied to grant the order as this was a matter of the "utmost urgency". The Judge made the matter returnable to Monday morning.
The pharmacies in question are all based in counties Dublin, Wicklow, Meath and Louth.
The HSE sought the order because it claims that the pharmacies had not indicated to them if they would or would not withdraw from the CPC Agreement to dispense medicines to the public.
A spokesman for the Irish Pharmacy Union said that in the context of the proposal which might end the dispute which the president of the IPU made on Thursday evening, the use of the courts at this time was “unhelpful” to securing a full resumption of pharmacy services.
