Pharmacists could have greater role in primary care in the future
By Tom Gillespie
FROM September this year pharmacists will be empowered to increase prescriptions from six to 12 months, and Castlebar pharmacist Ronan Moran envisages they will have more of a role in primary care in the future.
Ronan, son of Martin and May Moran from the Westport Road, Castlebar, opened Moran’s Pharmacy in Shruffaun House on New Antrim Street, at the junction of Newline in Castlebar, in October 2021.
His parents were originally from Mohill, Co. Leitrim, and his dad came to Castlebar in the 1980s to work with Revenue. They came down with three young girls and Ronan and his brother were born in Castlebar.
Ronan said: “In 2005 I got my Leaving Certificate examination and I went to UCD to study psychology and I came out in 2008 when there was a downturn.
“My degree involved further studies and there was work experience involved. We had done a module in psychopharmacology and I loved the pharmacology aspect and I decided to do pharmacy. I went to Britain where I planned to stay for four or five years and stayed nine. I came back in 2017.”
Ronan was educated in St. Patrick’s Boys National School and St. Gerald’s College, Castlebar. He attained an honours degree in psychology from University College Dublin as well as an honours masters degree in pharmacy from the University of Brighton.
Ronan completed his pre-registration examinations in King’s College Hospital, London. He subsequently worked as a pharmacist in King’s College Hospital and St. Thomas’ Hospital in London.
He later managed a large pharmacy for a pharmacy group in the south east of England. Since returning to Ireland in 2017 Ronan has worked as a supervising and locum pharmacist in various pharmacies in the west of Ireland.
Ronan took up the story: “I opened in Castlebar in October 2021 in what was known as the Lone Star building where there are four apartments and three retail units, two of which are occupied, and were built by Tony Gaughan.
“Part of building a business is building a base and thankfully that is beginning to come. It is definitely getting busier, thank God.
“We are in a great location. The building itself has duel frontage between Newline and Newantrim Street, with our front entrance on Newantrim Street, and we have plenty of footfall in this part of town and a good hinterland.”
He continued: “With the new Health Mail, which is the new electronic prescription system, it is pretty easy to become one of my clients. You just have to inform your GP that you want your prescription sent to a certain pharmacy.
“Eighty to 90 per cent of our prescriptions are electronic now.”
The new premises are fitted with a state-of-the-art air filtration.
This system ensures fresh air is constantly being pumped into the pharmacy while, at the same time, air is also constantly being drawn out, as the new air is being pumped in.
The pharmacy provides prescription and over-the-counter medicines, medical advice, vaccinations as well as products from the leading brands in dental, optical, baby care, skin care, body care, hair care, injury recovery, first aid, vitamins and minerals, as well as an extensive range of cosmetics and fragrances.
Ronan added: “The role of the pharmacist is constantly changing. From September 1 we will have the power to increase prescription length from six to 12 months.
“I envisage the pharmacist having more of a role in primary care. In the UK they have pharmacy prescribers and that I think that will come in in Ireland.”
He added: “Part of health care is confidentiality so customers can be assured of having a quiet chat when they come in here.
“I am very lucky to have great team of seven around me here.”
Douglas Heneghan from Breaffy and Myra Deacy from Straide are the counter, and the team includes a young pharmacy student, Liam Carroll, from Bohola, a young pharmacist from Canada, Sienna Parke, while Ashling Touhy does some hours in the dispensary and a young student, Fiona Conway, from Turlough, and Sarah Collins from Ballina does some locum work.
Outside of the pharmacy, Ronan is president of the Castlebar Lions Club. Last year the club started the 1798 Festival and the feedback was that it was a great success.
Ronan said: “We are going to give it another go this year. I can confirm it will take place on the May public holiday and this year’s theme will be ‘The Races of Castlebar’.
“We are holding on to that 1798 theme but we are expanding a bit with competitions in schools, and increasing the sporting aspect.”
When asked why the festival was not held in August, the actual month of the ‘Races’, Ronan replied: “The main reason being that we have built a great relationship with the French Embassy, the French Consulate, and people might not realise that August is a holiday month in France.
“We are hoping to have the Consul General down from Galway again and we are hoping to have the French Ambassador.
“It is looking that he is going to be redeployed come July or September and it would be great to have him here before he goes.
“We will have a ceremony at the grave of John Moore involving the Irish, French and English and that we will remember those who died.”
Ronan, who will be married at the end of the year to Grainne Cafferty, from Swinford, a pharmacist at Mayo University Hospital, played with Castlebar Mitchels and Castlebar Rugby Club.
When he went to England he was involved in setting up a GAA club - Crawley and Brighton Gaels - and he brought a team of ex-players over last year for the 10th anniversary, when the first ever full size Gaelic football game took place and the ex-players played the current team.
It was a great reunion after 10 years.
Moran's Pharmacy Opening Hours are: Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday: 9:30 a.m to 5.30
Moran’s Pharmacy is located at Unit 2, Shruffaun House, Newline, Castlebar, and can be contacted on (094) 9034446.