REFERENDUM


groups have been set up and there's hardly an evening you don't see hundreds running across the Peace Bridge. In addition to the community 'feel good' factor, such activities are also having a major impact on people's health, which is fantastic.


'I appreciate that this area is very much at the end of the 'food chain' down here. I wouldn't be confident of Derry/Londonderry getting much money or funding going forward. Huge amounts of funding will be lost and I personally don't see the UK putting funding into the area. As a result I - and many others - are petrified of what is going to happen.'


One thing that did strike me during the writing of this feature was the unwillingness of pharmacists who had voted to leave to participate in it. There was a definite air of 'battle fatigue' with one stating his amazement at the vitriol of statements made by colleagues at his pro-leave stance. What is needed now is a period of calm, in which the powers that be and business leaders can calmly plot the way forward and set out clearly-defined parameters in which each industry and sector can chart its own future.


THE ALTERNATIVE TO WORKING TOGETHER?


It may sound a bit extreme, but in the early 1990s, Yugoslavians held a referendum to determine their willingness to stay in another federation. The result was bloodshed


and the fragmentation of the country into squabbling, dysfunctional mini nation states.


So there is no alternative.


Maura Murphy - employed pharmacist at Crossgar Pharmacy


I honestly don't see that the leave vote will affect me personally. The only way that I can see it affecting the pharmacy is if we receive a prescription from Dublin (from people who are visiting relatives here). I don't know at the moment if we will be able to dispense it now.


Shane Connolly, Connolly's Pharmacy, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan (based on border)


I think the main issue is that patients from the North will not be able to avail of free medicines under the EU EEA scheme. I also hope it doesn't restrict NI pharmacists from working in the south and having to travel to Great Britain to find work.


John D'Arcy, managing director, Numark


There is clearly huge uncertainty in the market following the referendum – it is simply too early to predict what will be the impact of UK leaving EU.


The uncertainty is reflected in the economy with the stock market taking a relatively small hit form which it has recovered. However this belies some of the sub trends in trading. The likes of the banking, housing and property sectors have


taken a substantial hit. However, big pharma has benefitted from an increase in share price - in large part because healthcare is a necessity and so a relative safe haven for investment.


From a community pharmacy perspective, an exit from the EU is unlikely to make much difference. In contrast to the general principle of globalisation, healthcare is going increasingly local. From a UK perspective, we have four systems for each of the UK countries and there is little dependence upon European intervention. And although we are obliged to implement a large amount of European based legislation, overall policy and budget is ultimately set by native governments. So, specifically from a Northern Ireland perspective, there is a high level of dependency on local leaders to deliver a strategy that works for its own community.


Cliff McElhinney, President, Ulster Chemists' Association


A Brexit vote has understandably resulted in uncertainty in the business community in general. For pharmacy, working in a European and global market, this uncertainty chiefly concerns the supply and cost of medicines, cross-border prescriptions and the movement of pharmacists across borders. This has particular resonance in NI with a significant number of pharmacists working in both NI and the Republic of Ireland.


However, a lot of work will be done


by a number of companies and organisations to try to work through the myriad of issues to arrive at new working arrangements and provide some much needed stability to the pharmacy sector. The UCA will work with other NI and GB organisations to keep our pharmacist and pharmacy members informed as developments occur and represent their interests throughout this process.


Ian Strachan, Chair, National Pharmacy Association


The uncertainty and questions around how Brexit will play out mean it’s difficult to answer this question. In the coming weeks and months, as things hopefully become clearer, we’ll be shedding more light on what the result will mean for the sector. You can be certain that there will be a significant impact. No sector of UK industry or public service will be unaffected.


John Murphy, Director, The Pharmacists' Defence Association


Our efforts now will be to preserve and protect our members' rights that may be affected by the Brexit vote. This will focus on rights traditionally ensconced in the British law on employment matters and specifically British law which has been underpinned by European legislation and the European convention on Human Rights.


CPNI


Declined to comment.• PHARMACY IN FOCUS - 13


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