What’s happening with SI No 449 of 2015 and PHECC’s newest suite of responder courses – Cardiac First Response and Medications for Listed Organisations (CFR and MLOs) and the Emergency First Response Add-on Module? 

Over the past year PHECC undertook significant development work in laying the foundation for the rollout of education for non-medical persons to administer emergency life-saving medicines. (See the Autumn 2016 Voice and our detailed FAQs).


 
Now, in the early months of 2017, recognised institutions (RIs) are coming on stream to provide these new courses. Our webpage listing of RIs and courses gives updated information about which RI and what CFR and MLO course(s) and/or the EFR Add on module are out there for the public.
  
Another recent development for the implementation of the emergency medicines legislation (SI No.449 of 2015) is the Health Product Regulatory Authority’s (HPRA) launch of its Emergency Medicines Portal. This online system is to be used by organisations to register their intention to procure or purchase one of the six specific medicines, from a pharmacy or other supplier, for the supply and administration in the event of an emergency situation.  

Note that the applying organisation must confirm the trained personnel and their certificate expiry date for the relevant CFR and MLO course(s), and Add-on Module for EFR, as part of the HPRA registration process. 

The Emergency Medicines Portal allows the public, pharmacists and other interested stakeholders to check the list of registered organisations.
  
Over the coming months the HPRA will be offering training for those organisations wishing to register on the system. Go to the HPRA webpage for further details about the upcoming training, guides and videos for using the Emergency Medicines Portal.

We encourage you to share this information with your pre-hospital emergency care colleagues, and others, in creating greater awareness about this critical health care initiative in saving lives.

If you have questions that are not covered by our FAQs please email us at info@phecc.ie  with the subject heading SI 449 of 2015.