Expansion of pharmacy services
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. You will find more information on these important changes below.
Page updated 10 July 2025
Take part in our public consultation
We are holding a public consultation on education and training rules and guidance 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.
A Common Conditions Service is being developed by the Department of Health with input from key stakeholders including the PSI. The service will expand community pharmacists’ ability to manage an initial eight common conditions by enabling them to supply certain prescription-only medicines through established clinical protocols, where this is the most appropriate option.
Contraceptive prescribing by pharmacists to continue a prescription for short-acting reversible contraception (beyond 12 months) will also be introduced in the coming months, at the same time as the Common Conditions Service.
Pharmacists can extend prescriptions written for six months for up to a further six months where, in their professional judgement, it is safe and appropriate to do so and once defined criteria have been met.
Further information on the work and recommendations of the Expert Taskforce.
Staying up to date
This is a significant period of change for pharmacy in Ireland. The PSI’s focus is to ensure that the necessary training, education, and regulatory supports are in place for pharmacists, to underpin continued safe and effective pharmacy services for the public.
We will continue to update pharmacists as this work progresses, through email communications directly with pharmacists, on our website and via our social media channels.
