Ireland's Common Conditions Service lets trained community pharmacists assess eight defined conditions and, where appropriate, supply treatment under agreed rules without you first booking a GP appointment. Here's what is covered, how it works, what it can cost, and when you still need a GP, online doctor or urgent care.
Ireland's Common Conditions Service — often called "Pharmacy First" — lets a trained community pharmacist deal with a defined list of everyday conditions on the spot. For the conditions on that list, you can walk into a participating pharmacy, be assessed, and where appropriate be given treatment, including prescription-only medicines through agreed protocols, without first seeing a GP. It was enabled by regulations under the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 and rolled out to the public by participating pharmacies by 31 March 2026.
Under the Common Conditions Service, a participating pharmacist who has completed the required training can assess and, where clinically appropriate, treat:
| Condition | Everyday name |
|---|---|
| Allergic rhinitis | Hay fever / nasal allergies |
| Herpes labialis | Cold sores |
| Conjunctivitis | Eye infection / "pink eye" |
| Impetigo | Bacterial skin infection (common in children) |
| Oral candidiasis | Oral thrush |
| Herpes zoster | Shingles |
| Vulvovaginal candidiasis | Vaginal thrush |
| Uncomplicated UTI / cystitis | Bladder infection — see the full UTI guide |
The list and the rules around each condition are set nationally and can change. Your pharmacist works to the current clinical protocols. This page is a guide, not the protocol itself.
The HSE says the pharmacist will charge you for the Common Conditions Service and should tell you the cost before the consultation. You pay that service charge even if you have a medical card. Medicine costs can still vary depending on the treatment and your eligibility under other schemes, so ask the pharmacy what the full cost will be before you proceed. For how the medical card, GP visit card, prescription charges and the Drug Payment Scheme work across healthcare generally, see the cost of seeing a doctor guide.
Good fit: a flare of one of the eight conditions, you're otherwise well, and you'd rather not wait days for a GP slot. The pharmacy is often same-day and close by.
Not a fit: anything outside the list, symptoms that are severe, spreading fast, or not improving, a high temperature, problems in pregnancy, or a condition you've had repeatedly. In those cases see a GP, an online doctor, or urgent care. For a genuine emergency, call 999 or 112 or go to an Emergency Department.
Ask three direct questions before the consultation starts: whether the pharmacy is currently offering the Common Conditions Service, whether your symptoms fit one of the eight covered conditions, and what the consultation and medicine will cost if the pharmacist treats you. If the pharmacist says the problem is outside the protocol, that is a safety decision rather than a refusal to help; the next route may be your GP, GP out-of-hours, an online doctor, an injury unit or A&E depending on the symptoms.
Not every pharmacy offers the service yet — a pharmacy needs at least one pharmacist who has completed the PSI (Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland) training. Many community pharmacies have signed up. The simplest check is to ring your local pharmacy and ask whether they deliver the Common Conditions Service, or look for signage in-store.
This summary draws on the Department of Health announcement of the prescribing regulations under the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024, the PSI's Common Conditions Service information, and the HSE's public service page. Confirm current specifics with your pharmacist or the HSE before relying on them.
The 8 conditions a pharmacist can treat — in detail →
How to get UTI / cystitis treatment without a GP in Ireland →
How to see a doctor in Ireland — all your options, plainly →