The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has welcomed the statement by the Minister for Health recently announcing the introduction of new training that will empower pharmacists to participate in a new Common Conditions Service (CCS), which will be commencing in pharmacies over the next couple of months.
The CCS, which was included in the Community Pharmacy Agreement 2025, will enable community pharmacists to advise and treat common and often self- limiting conditions in pharmacies. This will include providing pharmacists with the ability to prescribe certain prescription- only medicines through established clinical protocols, where this is the most appropriate option.
This announcement of the training programme for pharmacists to implement the service is the first step in the establishment of the CCS in community pharmacies nationwide.
Welcoming the announcement, Tom Murray, President of the IPU, said: “Pharmacists are medicines experts and have long sought the opportunity to use their expertise in new ways to help patients. The introduction of the Common Conditions Service is a very welcome development in this regard.
“Each day in pharmacies across Ireland, patients present with common self-limiting conditions, where pharmacists have the clinical knowledge but, until now, lacked the authority to provide the appropriate treatment. These conditions include hay fever, cold sores, and uncomplicated localised infections such as certain UTIs or conjunctivitis.
“The CCS will change that, enabling pharmacists to deliver timely care and treatment, easing the burden on the wider healthcare system by offering care at the lowest level of complexity. We look forward to participating fully in the upcoming training and to playing a key role in improving access to care in our communities.”
