Complaints, confusion around pharmacy consultancy fee

DSW Insurance is receiving daily complaints from patients who do not want to pay the pharmacy consultancy charge. This is according to DSW director Chris Oomen in response to reports that nearly half of all pharmacy assistants deal wit aggressive patients on a daily basis.

"They find the cost unjust and some find that they also do not need the advice", Oomen said to NOS. The consultancy fee used to be included in the medicine's price, but the government decided to split the charges in an effort to make healthcare costs more transparent.

Oomen finds it understandable that patients are confused by, and complain about the average of 6 euros they are charged every time they are given a new drug. "And if you haven't used the drug in one year and one day, you have to pay again."

The DSW director thinks pharmacists should deal differently with the consultancy fee. He believes that abolishing the split costs will lead to savings and a lot less hassle at the desk.