Medicine shortages are recognised as a global problem by the World Health Organisation. While medicine shortages have been a global issue for a considerable period, they have increasingly affected Ireland and other European countries with significant impact on patient care and total healthcare costs. The problem of medicine shortages in Ireland remains high, with a IPU survey earlier this year revealing that every pharmacy in Ireland has been challenged by medicine shortages. Their Medicine Shortage Survey found that all pharmacists have experienced medicine shortages, with a significant 57% of pharmacies experiencing more than 40 medicine shortages in the first half of the year.
With medicine shortages continuing, we’re delighted to confirm that Ellen McGrath will be joining us for a Stakeholder Briefing event on Thursday November 21st. She’ll be discussing the work of the HPRA, drug shortages, trends, and what the future holds. Ellen will be joined by Chris Doherty, Supervising Pharmacist Manager at McCauley’s Pharmacy in Greystones. As well as being on the front line of medicine shortages, Chris also sits on Uniphar’s Employee Committee “Colleague Connect” and as part of this he communicates with other pharmacists about the issues they are having.
Along with updates from these stakeholders, there will be an opportunity for Q&A from the floor.
Ellen McGrath, Medicine Shortages & Borderline Classification Manager – HPRA
Ellen is a graduate of the University of East Anglia School of Pharmacy UK. She completed her pharmacy training and worked as a resident pharmacist in Leeds Teaching Hospitals and during this time also completed a Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy with the University of Leeds. Ellen has amassed 15 years’ experience both in clinical and corporate roles. Prior to commencing as the MSBC Manager within the Compliance Department of the HPRA, Ellen’s most recent role was Head of the Corporate Pharmaceutical Unit, which is the interface between the HSE and pharmaceutical industry in relation to medicines pricing and reimbursement at a national level.
As head of the unit Ellen was responsible for all commercial negotiations for new medicines reimbursed by the HSE, and also supported the State negotiation team to bring forward two 4-year national pricing Framework Agreements (IPHA 2021 Agreement and MFI 2021 Agreement). Ellen led the first of its kind negotiations in two successful pilot projects under the ‘Beneluxa initiative’, an international collaboration set up with an aim of providing sustainable access to innovative medicines at affordable costs for patients through joint assessment and joint decision-making on applications for reimbursement.
Ellen possesses a Masters in Health Policy from Imperial College London, completing her research dissertation examining the factors influencing the outcomes of negotiated reimbursement decisions for new medicines in Ireland.
Chris Doherty, Supervising Pharmacist Manager – McCauley’s Pharmacy
Chris qualified as a pharmacist in 2006 and moved to Dublin to work as a relief pharmacist. He became the manager of Unicare, Rathmines in 2008 which subsequently became Ireland’s first DocMorris Pharmacy. He was appointed Deputy Area Manager in 2011, before being assigned his own region in 2015. He then spent four years as the Supervising and Superintendent Pharmacist in an independent pharmacy in Tallaght. In 2020, he took on the role of Supervising Pharmacist Manager in McCauley Pharmacy’s Greystones branch where he has been ever since.
As well as being on the front line of medicine shortages, Chris is also on Uniphar’s Employee Committee “Colleague Connect” and as part of this he communicates with other pharmacists about the issues they are having.
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This Stakeholder Briefing is proudly supported by:
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Please note that by registering for this event you agree to share your name and company details with the organisers and the event sponsor.
