To ask the Minister of Health what action he has taken on the pay and conditions of practice-based pharmacists since returning to office in February 2024.

My Department is aware of the various issues regarding remuneration and conditions for practice-based pharmacists employed by GP Federations which you have raised. I can assure you that such issues have been subject to ongoing discussions between the Department of Health (DoH) and key stakeholders.

The GP Pharmacist Oversight Board was established by the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) within the DoH in December 2023 before I came to office. The group brings together representatives from all key stakeholder groups, including SPPG, DoH, GP Federations and GPC (General Practitioners Committee) to facilitate collaborative working to optimise the working arrangements of the GPP workforce, in line with strategic priorities of the DoH Medicines Optimisation Quality Framework. The group will oversee the delivery of the service and facilitate discussion and resolution to issues relating to the GPP workforce employed in General Practices. The group also aims to develop the General Practice Pharmacist workforce, in line with DoH strategic direction and the Pharmacy Workforce Review, which is being progressed through Service Delivery and Service Development subgroups.

My Department will continue to work closely with stakeholders over the following months to address the issues to which this question refers