Over 1,800 Irish Pharmacies Sign Up for New Common Conditions Service
Over 1,800 Irish pharmacies now offering new Common Conditions Service for faster treatment of minor ailments without needing GP appointment.
A new healthcare service that allows pharmacists to treat eight common minor conditions is now available in more than 1,800 pharmacies across Ireland, following an overwhelming response from the pharmacy sector.
The Common Conditions Service (CCS), which officially launched this week, has been adopted by 94% of Ireland's 1,912 community pharmacies. The service will enable people to access faster treatment for minor ailments including urinary tract infections, cold sores, and conjunctivitis without needing a GP appointment.
More than 2,500 pharmacy professionals have completed core training modules to deliver the service, which Minister Carroll MacNeill described as a significant step forward for frontline healthcare access.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said:
"I am pleased to see such a strong response from pharmacies nationwide with over 1,800 pharmacies signing up for the new Common Conditions Service. More than 2,500 professionals have completed the core training modules, reflecting the dedication and commitment of those working in the pharmacy sector to supporting patients and strengthening frontline care.
This service will have a really positive impact in local communities and will mean that patients will get faster access to treatment, closer to home."
The service offers confidential fee-based consultations with trained pharmacists who can provide advice and treatment for eight specific conditions: allergic rhinitis, cold sores, conjunctivitis, impetigo, oral thrush, shingles, uncomplicated urinary tract infections, and vulvovaginal thrush.
Consultation fees will be set by individual pharmacies, which must be transparent about costs before providing the service, in line with guidance from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.
The initiative follows recommendations from an Expert Taskforce established to expand the role of pharmacies in the Irish healthcare system. The service was enabled by new regulations signed by the Minister for Health in November 2025 under the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024.
Pharmacists have until 31 March 2026 to complete training and begin offering the service. As of 16 January, 2,514 pharmacists had received certification for core module training, while 1,811 had completed condition-specific training.
Members of the public can locate their nearest participating pharmacy using the Pharmacy Finder Tool available at gov.ie/CommonConditionsService.
