To ask the Minister of Health (i) why GP pharmacists are not paid the same as other members of GP multi-disciplinary teams; (ii) whether there are plans to include GP pharmacists in the Agenda of Change pay scaling; and (iii) for his assessment of how the current disparity in pay is impacting the recruitment and retaining of GP pharmacists.

My Department is aware of the various issues regarding remuneration for GP practice pharmacists employed by GP Federations which you have raised. I can assure you that such issues are already 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. 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.

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