The new Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, needs to be a ‘champion for a reinvigorated and inclusive health service', pharmacists have said.

According to the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), it is ‘very disheartening' that the health service and the Department of Health are often talked about in derogatory terms.

"The health service plays a positive and central role in the lives of everyone in the country, and is staffed by highly skilled and dedicated professionals, yet the commentary is mostly negative. We need the new Minister for Health to be a champion for a reinvigorated and inclusive health service that people can be proud to work in and, more importantly, to use," commented IPU president, Kathy Maher.

She pointed to four changes within the health service which she insists could have a major impact on the delivery of healthcare in this country:
-Reducing pressure on GPs and Emergency Departments (EDs) by expanding the role of pharmacists
-Exempting vulnerable people from paying the medical card prescription levy, such as homeless people
-Educating both prescribers and consumers about generic medicines and reference pricing
-Imposing a levy on tobacco companies and ring-fencing any money raised for smoking cessation health services.

Meanwhile, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said that it hoped that the appointment of a ‘leading Government minister is a sign that the Government is prepared to focus on the dire needs of patients and staff in Ireland's health service'.

It pointed out that public health services are struggling to cope with cutbacks, and maintaining safe staffing ‘is now a daily challenge'.

"The moratorium on staff replacement has disproportionately impacted on frontline staff and as a consequence cut deeply in terms of patient care. We hope to forge a strong relationship with the incoming Minister, whom we believe will share our goal of quality and safety in the provision of all health services," commented INMO deputy general secretary, Dave Hughes.

The INMO also wished the former Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, well in his new role as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.