IPU, Sunday 13 July 2025: Ambitious plans to expand the range of services provided in Ireland’s 1,900 community pharmacies have strong public support according to new research from IPSOS B&A. The survey, commissioned by the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), shows overwhelming support for a broader role for pharmacists in community healthcare.
Key findings of The Pharmacy Index 2025 include:
- 51% of the adult population have visited a pharmacy in the past week, equating to 118 million visits per annum.
- 95% of people rate the quality of the professional service received in pharmacies as good while 97% trust the advice they receive from pharmacists.
- There is near-universal support for expanding pharmacy services:
- 94% support pharmacist prescribing
- 92% would use health screening services in pharmacies
- 95% support pharmacy-led services to help improve adherence to their medicines
- 77% of people report having to wait longer for GP appointments than in the past.
- 87% of people find pharmacists very accessible, compared to 44% for GPs and 16% for secondary care
- 79% of people perceive that pharmacists are available at a time that suits them, versus 29% for GPs and 14% for hospitals
The research confirms that pharmacists are trusted, highly accessible healthcare professionals who play a vital role in helping patients manage their health.
“The pharmacist is the medicines expert in every community,” said IPU President Tom Murray. “We are uniquely positioned to help patients understand and manage their treatments, ensure safety, and support better health outcomes.”
“The research shows strong public backing for using that expertise to do more within our communities. There is overwhelming support for initiatives such as pharmacist prescribing, health screening, and structured services to support medication adherence.
“These are not just new services they are smarter ways of delivering care,” Mr Murray said. “At a time when many people are waiting longer for GP appointments, pharmacists are already the first point of contact for healthcare in towns and villages across Ireland. It makes sense to enable us to provide more comprehensive care and increase capacity across health services.”
Concluding, Mr Murray said, “pharmacies are ready to deliver, patients trust us, the expertise is in place, and with the proper enabling supports the opportunity to do more for patients is clear.”
ENDS
Note to Editor:
A copy of the IPU’s Vision 2030 Document on Advanced Patient Care is available here.
