Community pharmacists have warned that new requirements could force temporary closures when emergency locums are needed at short notice.
Under the National Health Service Reform Bill, individual pharmacists must be included on a statutory performers list before they can work in NHS services on the island.
Lawrie Hooper raised concerns about how the system would operate in practice when pharmacies face unexpected staffing shortages.
Mr Hooper told Tynwald: “Pharmacies, as I understand it, quite every now and again, where they have issues with staffing, have to bring in pharmacists from off island, and that can sometimes happen at relatively short notice.”
Operationally
He questioned whether the department could process applications quickly enough, saying: “If the contracts require people to be on these lists in order for them to actually work on the island, it would just be really useful to know from the minister how that’s going to be done in practice operationally, to make sure that we don’t end up in a situation where pharmacies have to close simply because they can’t get an approval for having someone on the list at very short notice.”
Ann Corlett also raised the issue, noting pharmacies are particularly vulnerable because they are walk-in services.
Mrs Corlett said: “There’s increased chance of not being able to provide a service if they cannot provide locums.”
Health Minister Claire Christian responded that a streamlined system would be developed, saying: “There will be a streamlined system for local locums who will be on the list for a limited period of time.
“The intention was never to create a roadblock for pharmacies.”