Ireland’s healthcare system is under immense and growing pressure. GP waiting lists are at record levels, and emergency departments are struggling to meet demand. At the same time, the public are being urged to take greater responsibility for their own health where appropriate — to treat minor ailments at home and to use local pharmacy services.
Recent HSE communications encouraging people to only attend A&E if absolutely necessary and to keep a well-stocked self-care cabinet reflect a welcome shift in national health messaging. This approach recognises that self-care — the ability of individuals to manage self-treatable conditions safely and effectively — can play a pivotal role in keeping our health system sustainable.
Here at the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA), we strongly support this direction. We believe that self-care must become a core pillar of Ireland’s future health strategy — one that empowers people, reduces unnecessary strain on services, and aligns with the principles of Sláintecare.
When IPHA launched The Socio-Economic Benefits of Self-Care in Ireland last July, we sought to quantify something that pharmacists have long understood: the enormous impact that self-care has on people, communities, and the health system.
The results were striking. Each year, over 19 million minor health conditions are managed through self-care, saving €727 million for patients and the healthcare system combined. For the individual, the benefits are tangible. A GP visit for a minor condition typically costs around €72.81, compared to €6.89 for an equivalent over-the-counter medicine. That’s a saving of €65.92 per case — and, importantly, 1 hour 17 minutes of personal time saved by avoiding a GP appointment.
At a system level, the cumulative effect is profound. Self-care already frees up 7.7 million hours of GP time each year, equivalent to 11 per cent of total GP capacity, or the workload of roughly 500 full-time doctors. If self-care were encouraged more widely, the study estimates an additional €322 million in annual savings, including €113 million for the HSE.
In economic terms, for every €1 spent on over-the-counter medicines, Ireland saves €10.70 in avoided healthcare costs and productivity gains.
The UK’s experience reinforces Ireland’s findings. The PAGB Self-Care Census 2025 shows that at least 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits each year in the UK are used for self-treatable conditions, costing the NHS an estimated £1.7 billion annually.
Encouragingly, 84 per cent of UK adults say they would choose self-care as their first option for healthcare, but confidence to do so is falling — especially among younger adults and those with lower health literacy. Worryingly, one in 10 adults say they would go straight to A&E for a self-treatable condition, and this rises to one in four among those with no formal education.
These findings underline a critical point: people are willing to self-care, but many lack the confidence or knowledge to act. This ‘confidence gap’ drives unnecessary pressure on primary and emergency care. It’s a reminder that public education and clear, trusted resources are just as important as access to medicines.
In Ireland, we have a powerful resource already in place — our community pharmacists. Pharmacists are highly trained professionals who combine accessibility with expertise. They can advise on the safe use of over-the-counter treatments, identify red-flag symptoms, and guide patients to professional care when needed.
Yet, as the UK data also shows, younger people are less likely to view pharmacists as their first point of contact. Changing this mindset will be essential to embedding self-care as an everyday health behaviour.
Self-care does not mean self-isolation. It’s about knowing when to seek help, and pharmacists are central to that decision-making process. Strengthening pharmacy-based self-care services — including through the forthcoming Common Conditions Service — will keep care closer to home while reducing unnecessary GP and hospital visits.
IPHA believes it’s time for self-care to be formally embedded within Ireland’s national health planning. The case for doing so is clear — for patients, practitioners, and the public purse alike.
To realise this potential, we recommend:
These measures mirror best practice internationally and are supported by the evidence from both IPHA’s and PAGB’s analyses.
The consumer healthcare industry is an enabler of self-care. IPHA’s members — through innovation, education and collaboration — support people in managing their health responsibly. Many already provide trusted digital tools, mobile apps, and educational content that make health information accessible and actionable.
By partnering with government, healthcare professionals, and pharmacists, industry can help create a culture where people feel confident to self-treat minor ailments — freeing up precious GP and hospital capacity for those who need it most.
Ireland has an opportunity to lead. The HSE’s recent focus on self-care, combined with the public’s growing willingness to take greater ownership of their health, offers a real chance to rebalance the healthcare system.
Embedding self-care as a national health priority would not only relieve pressure on services — it would also build a more informed, resilient population.
At IPHA, we are committed to working with all partners — from policymakers to pharmacists — to make that vision a reality. By placing self-care at the heart of Ireland’s healthcare system, we can help build a future that is healthier, more sustainable, and more self-reliant.
The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) represents the international research-based pharmaceutical industry in Ireland. Its 2024 report, ‘The Socio-Economic Benefits of Self-Care in Ireland’, highlights the financial, social and system-level benefits of self-care and outlines policy recommendations to integrate it into national healthcare planning. See ipha.ie for more information.
Yvonne O’Toole Jones
Communications and Partnerships Manager, Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA)
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