Service expansion and access

Common Conditions Service The key enablers to support the delivery of the Common Conditions Service are now in place. Key legislation to enable the service has been enacted, the HSE Clinical Protocols have been approved by the Minister for Health and are accessible via the HSE website, the PSI’s Guidelines to Support the Provision of the Common Conditions Service have been published, and the pharmacist training for the Common Conditions Service is being provided by the IIOP. The IPU website has been updated with a new Common Conditions Service Hub (see ipu.ie > Professional > Common Conditions Service) which contains information on the service and links to support delivery in practice. The content is updated regularly.   Health and wellbeing

Reinforcing community pharmacies’ role as health and wellness hubs is a key part of the CPA25 and work is underway to map the annual plan for health promotion activity for 2026.

A review of the most streamlined way to support access to training and associated resources is being conducted, and the IPU will shortly meet with the HSE’s Health and Wellbeing team to ascertain the types of public health initiatives, which community pharmacists may partake in next year.   Pneumococcal vaccine Community pharmacy participation in the HSE Pneumococcal Vaccine (PPV 23) programme for healthy over-65-year-olds is being prioritised and the operational changes required to support implementation are currently being worked on. Commencement of this programme will likely now be in early 2026. The IPU Pneumococcal Vaccination Hub (see ipu.ie> Professional > Vaccines and Injectables > Pneumococcal Vaccination Hub), will be updated as the work progresses.   National Condom Distribution Service In early 2026, the process to commence rollout of community pharmacies’ role in providing National Condom Distribution Service products (condoms, lubricants) directly to patients in a one-to-one clinical setting, who may benefit from additional sexual health support, will begin. This initiative will help provide equitable access to condoms and lubricant within local communities and remove the associated cost barriers. Further information will be available in early 2026.   Unused Medicines Return and Disposal Service Scoping work is underway to scope out the collection and disposal of unused medication service. This will determine the next steps for progressing the necessary tender work for the Unused Medicines Return and Disposal Service.   Phasing The HSE has issued a circular in relation to the changes in phasing arrangements and confirmed the changes will be implemented from 1 January 2026. A similar circular was issued to GPs to inform them of the changes. The HSE has agreed to add extra medications to their Phased Approved Medication List, including sodium valproate/valproic acid, lamotrigine and promethazine. The updated list is available at ipu.ie> Contract > Phased Dispensing).    

Digitalisation and ICT

The HSE IHI Pilot, which includes participation from IT Steering Group (ITSG) members and the pharmacy system vendors, is now underway. The project is recognised as an important enabler for future digital prescribing, the National Shared Care Record (NSCR), and improved efficiency within pharmacy practice. To support the rollout of the Common Conditions Service, the IPU and Department of Health have collaborated on the development of an Operational Requirements Guide for pharmacy system vendors to support them in developing digital solutions to aid delivery in practice. In addition, the IPU Product File has been enhanced to include structured, coded information covering:

• Conditions and interventions, including referrals and prescriptions; and
• Product-level flags identifying items prescribable under the Common Conditions Service, linked to the relevant presenting condition.

These enhancements will help ensure consistent coding, clearer workflows, and smoother vendor implementation.   Under the CPA25, community pharmacists are recognised as core contributors to the NSCR. Pharmacists will be able to view patient records and will also be required to submit relevant dispensing and clinical data. Participation must be practical, proportionate and well supported, ensuring that data sharing improves care while protecting privacy and data accuracy.   Since publication of the CPA25, the IPU has met several times with the HSE NSCR team. The current plan for 2026 includes two key deliverables:

• Integration of community pharmacy information into the NSCR; and
• Pharmacy access to the NSCR through PMR systems.

  Both elements will rely on vendor engagement and technical development, including the creation of routine update mechanisms beginning with dispensing data and later expanding to include service and vaccination information held in HSE PharmaVax.  

Reducing administrative burden

Following on from the Department of Health’s commitments under Section 4.3 of the CPA25 and Recommendation 3 of the PSI’s Workforce Intelligence Report, the Department of Health is seeking to progress legislative change in early 2026 to allow the following records to be maintained electronically in retail pharmacy businesses:

• Prescription Register (Daily Audit);
• Controlled Drugs Register; and
• Retention of dispensed prescriptions which have been transmitted by Healthmail.

  The aim of this legislative change is to support the delivery of care to patients by streamlining specific pharmacy record keeping activities, while maintaining the accuracy and accessibility of these pharmacy records. To support the implementation of this legislative change, the Department of Health has established an Electronic Record Keeping Implementation Group. This group, which has IPU and community pharmacist representation, is taking a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach and will identify and deliver the necessary supports and enablers to facilitate pharmacists who want to transition to electronic record keeping practices in retail pharmacy businesses.  

Allowances, fees and development funds

The new fees payable to pharmacies have been implemented, and the PCRS commenced reimbursement in-line with the newly agreed rates from 1 September 2025 for all pharmacies who signed up to the CPA25. The eHealth Integration Allowance was paid in November 2025, and the Common Conditions Service Establishment Allowance will be paid in December 2025 to all pharmacies who opted-in by the 1 December 2025 deadline, as set out in Circular NCO-25-2025. A clear process to support claiming for training under the Pharmacy Training grant is being actively worked on with the HSE. Full information will be provided in early January. A contribution towards study time for IIOP CCS training will be available in 2026 for training undertaken in 2025, and further details will follow.