Common Conditions Service and Continuation of Prescriptions for Contraception

Page updated 10 July 2025 

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We are holding a public consultation on education and training rules and guidelines to support pharmacists to deliver the Common Conditions  and Continuation of Prescriptions for Contraception services. Read more here to consider the consultation and provide your feedback.

What is the Common Conditions Service? 

The Common Conditions Service will enable community pharmacists to provide advice and offer treatment for an initial eight common conditions in community pharmacies. Pharmacists already provide advice, over-the-counter treatment and/or referral for these conditions.  The service will expand community pharmacists’ ability to manage these common conditions by enabling them to supply certain prescription-only medicines through established clinical protocols, where this is the most appropriate option.  

For the first time in Ireland, pharmacists will be enabled to prescribe for a number of common conditions and continue prescriptions for contraception beyond 12 months. 

The Common Conditions Service is being developed in response to one of the recommendations of the Expert Taskforce to support the expansion of the role of pharmacists. The Taskforce  was asked to consider how pharmacists could expand upon their present scope of practice for the benefit of patients, the public and the wider healthcare system.  

The Taskforce recommended that pharmacists be enabled to prescribe for a range of common conditions, starting with an initial list of eight conditions which can be extended over time as the service evolves.

Continuation of prescriptions for contraception 

Although not included in the recommendations of the Expert Taskforce, a Continuation of Prescriptions for Contraception Service is also being introduced at the same time. This will allow contraceptive prescribing by pharmacists, enabling them to continue a prescription for short-acting reversible contraception (beyond 12 months). 

The Common Conditions and the Continuation of Prescriptions for Contraception services are being developed to improve access to care, reduce pressure on general practice, and enhance the responsiveness of the healthcare system. These services are aligned with broader policy commitments to integrated and accessible community-based care. 

How are these services being implemented? 

The Common Conditions Service has been developed by the Department of Health with input from other key stakeholders, who are all members of the Community Pharmacy Expansion Implementation Oversight Group (IOG). The IOG was set up by the Minister for Health to implement the Common Conditions Service. 

The PSI is a key stakeholder on the Implementation Oversight Group, as well as the HSE, the Health Products Regulatory Authority, Irish Pharmacy Union, patient representatives and practicing pharmacists.  

The PSI’s role on the group, as the pharmacy regulator, is to ensure that pharmacists have the necessary training and other regulatory supports to deliver a safe and effective common conditions service for patients and the public. 

The IOG is chaired by the Department of Health. Further information on the IOG is available on the website of the Department of Health, including meeting agendas and minutes.

What are the eight common conditions? 

The eight common conditions are: 

• Allergic Rhinitis
• Cold Sores
• Conjunctivitis
• Impetigo
• Oral Thrush
• Shingles
• Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
• Vulvovaginal Thrush 

How were the eight conditions chosen? 

The Expert Taskforce recommended an initial list of eight common conditions, though this list may be expanded over time as the service evolves.  

The Expert Taskforce agreed on these conditions following a review of similar services internationally. The Expert Taskforce also considered that these common conditions are safe and suitable to be managed in a community pharmacy setting.  

What supports and training will be provided for pharmacists? 

A number of supports are being developed to support pharmacists in delivering the services: 

• Clinical protocols which are being developed by the HSE and will be approved by the Minister for Health.
• Training which is being developed by the IIOP and overseen by PSI.
• Guidelines from the PSI to support the service and other regulatory tools such as FAQs. 

You can learn more about these supports below. 

Clinical protocols 

The Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health and the HSE Chief Clinical Officer established a multi-disciplinary clinical sub-group to develop the clinical protocols, to ensure that they are based on the most up to date evidence and in line with national guidelines. The clinical sub-group comprised clinicians with expertise in relevant clinical areas, and pharmacists with expertise in medication safety, antimicrobial stewardship and community pharmacy.  

The clinical protocols will guide pharmacists in delivering clinical care and set out appropriate clinical inclusion and exclusion criteria, formulary and referral pathways. They contain the medications which should be recommended for each condition, including appropriate prescription-only medicines.  

When delivering the service in practice, pharmacists will be required to adhere to the clinical protocols. 

Pharmacist Training for the Common Conditions Service and Continuation of Prescriptions for Contraception services 

An approach to education and training for pharmacists to prescribe for the two services has been approved by the IOG and informed by international comparator research conducted by PSI, as well as clinical advice from the IOG multi-disciplinary clinical sub-group established by the Chief Medical Officer and HSE Chief Clinical Officer. 

The approved approach will consist of the following self-directed online CPD modules, which will be mandatory for all pharmacists who intend to deliver the service: 

• Core Regulatory Module 

This module will provide information on the legal and ethical framework underpinning the common conditions service, the responsibility and accountability of those providing and delivering the service, the HSE National Consent Policy and Safeguarding, the patient journey including the need for communication and consultation with the patient, how to access the clinical protocols and relevant legislation and guidelines, as well as the principles of Antimicrobial Stewardship. 

• Common Condition Specific Module (for each condition) 

A module on each of the listed common conditions will cover clinical symptom identification and recognition, differential diagnosis, points of referral and escalation and treatment options including additional pharmacological, nonpharmacological, self-care options and safety netting for each common condition. 

• Continuation of Contraception Training Module 

This module will provide information on a range of contraception and reproductive health topics as recommended by the HSE Clinical sub-group.  

PSI Guidelines to support the Common Conditions Service and Continuation of Prescriptions for Contraception 

These Guidelines are intended to provide a principles-based framework to support pharmacists in providing safe, patient-centred services and to support compliance with pharmacists’ legislative obligations. The guidelines are issued under Regulation 14 of the Regulation of Retail Pharmacy Businesses Regulations 2008 (S.I. 488 of 2008) as amended. 

Related Information

A number of changes to pharmacy practice are being introduced to expand the range of pharmacy services available to patients and the public in Ireland. Read more about expansion of pharmacy services.