The landscape of Irish community pharmacy changed on 19 January 2026. The Common Conditions Service (CCS) is now live, enabling pharmacists to assess, advise and prescribe treatments for eight specified conditions. If you’re already delivering the service or planning to register, here’s what you need to know about making it work for your pharmacy.
What the service actually covers
The CCS allows trained pharmacists to provide consultations and, where clinically appropriate, supply prescription treatments for:
- Allergic rhinitis
- Cold sores
- Conjunctivitis
- Impetigo
- Oral thrush
- Shingles
- Uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Vulvovaginal thrush
This service expands your ability to manage and treat patients by enabling you to prescribe certain prescription-only medicines where appropriate, in line with HSE clinical protocols.
Not every patient will require a prescription medication: your clinical judgment determines the appropriate intervention, whether that’s advice on self-care, an OTC recommendation or a prescription treatment.
The regulatory framework: Four key enablers
Before you can deliver this service, you need to understand the four regulatory enablers that authorise it:
1. Legislative amendments
In October 2025, the Minister for Health signed legislative amendments enabling the Common Conditions Service, including amendments to the Regulation of Retail Pharmacy Businesses Regulations and the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) Regulations.
2. HSE Clinical protocols
When delivering the CCS, you must adhere to the eight clinical protocols developed by the HSE and approved by the Minister for Health. These protocols guide you in delivering clinical care and set out clinical inclusion and exclusion criteria, formulary options, and referral pathways. Current versions are available on the HSE website.
The protocols were developed by a multi-disciplinary clinical sub-group established by the Chief Medical Officer and HSE Chief Clinical Officer, ensuring they’re based on current evidence and national guidelines.
3. PSI Guidelines
The PSI has published Guidelines to Support the Common Conditions Service, issued under Regulation 14 of the Regulation of Retail Pharmacy Businesses Regulations 2008 and approved by the Minister for Health.
These guidelines outline a principles-based framework to support safe, patient-centred care. Before providing the service, pharmacists and those in governance roles must be familiar with and follow these guidelines.
4. Mandatory training
You must complete mandatory training developed by RCSI and the Irish Institute of Pharmacy (IIOP). The training consists of:
Core Regulatory Module covering:
- Legal and ethical framework
- Clinical protocols, legislation and guidelines
- Responsibility and accountability
- Patient journey and communication
- Antimicrobial stewardship
- HSE National Consent Policy and Safeguarding
Common Condition Specific Modules (one for each condition) covering:
- Clinical symptom identification
- Differential diagnosis
- Points of referral and escalation
- Treatment options including pharmacological, non-pharmacological and self-care options
All training is available through the IIOP website.
The operational reality
Consultation fees apply to all patients, regardless of medical card or drug scheme eligibility. The HSE does not cover this fee. Where you dispense a reimbursable medicinal product under a community drug scheme, patients pay the standard scheme charges in addition to your consultation fee.
The PSI guidelines require transparency around pricing before you provide the service. This means discussing fees upfront with each patient: a conversation that needs to become routine in your consultation workflow.
Private consultation space is mandatory. You need a dedicated, confidential area for patient consultations. If you haven’t already established this space, it’s the infrastructure investment required to deliver the service.
Getting started: Practical steps
If you’re planning to offer the CCS:
- Complete the mandatory training via the IIOP website (core module + all eight condition-specific modules)
- Review the HSE clinical protocols for each condition thoroughly
- Read the PSI guidelines and ensure your pharmacy meets all requirements
- Establish your consultation space with appropriate privacy
- Develop your fee transparency process for patient conversations
- Set up documentation and GP communication workflows
- Register your pharmacy on the HSE Pharmacy Finder so patients can find you
The strategic opportunity
The Common Conditions Service represents a fundamental expansion of community pharmacy’s role in Ireland’s healthcare system. It’s based on recommendations from the Expert Taskforce to support the expansion of the role of pharmacy, which identified how pharmacists could expand their scope of practice for the benefit of patients, the public and the wider healthcare system.
It’s all about positioning your pharmacy as a primary care destination. Pharmacies handling this well are integrating CCS into a broader strategy that includes:
- Clinical excellence (rigorous adherence to protocols and guidelines)
- Operational efficiency (streamlined workflows, clear processes)
- Patient communication (transparency, follow-up, continuity)
- Professional relationships (GP collaboration, referral pathways)
The Government of Ireland public awareness campaign running in January and February 2026 will drive patient awareness. The question is whether your pharmacy is ready to deliver when patients start asking.
Additional resources and support
- IIOP Webinar Recording (6 November 2025): Introduction and overview of the CCS with presentations from Department of Health, HSE, PSI and IIOP – Watch here
- General Information about CCS: Available on the HSE website
- Find Participating Pharmacies: HSE Pharmacy Finder
- PSI Guidelines: Download here
- HSE Clinical Protocols: Access here
- Mandatory Training: IIOP website
- Public Information: Department of Health campaign page
- Public Feedback Survey: Participate here
The Common Conditions Service went live on 19 January 2026. As more information becomes available, the PSI will continue to provide updates via their website and email to registered pharmacists.