Jim Curran
Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Irish Pharmacy Union
Community pharmacies are a vital first point of contact for healthcare in every town, village and community.
The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) is the representative and professional body for community pharmacists in Ireland, with a membership of approximately 2,400 pharmacists working in more than 1,850 community pharmacies throughout the country.
IPU members are committed to delivering a quality, accessible, personal, and professional service that puts the patient first and optimises society’s health and wellbeing.
How community pharmacists help manage chronic conditions
Community Pharmacy has demonstrated the ability to respond quickly to public health needs, expand services at pace and deliver measurable results — all while maintaining safe and trusted patient care. Through their daily interactions with patients and carers, community pharmacists provide an essential link in the safe and effective management of chronic conditions.
Since 2011, legislation has enabled community pharmacists to administer vaccinations in the community pharmacy setting, starting with the flu vaccine, then the Covid vaccine, the LAIV nasal influenza vaccine for children and now the pneumococcal vaccine — all of which provide added protection to patients with a chronic condition. Some pharmacies also offer a private vaccination service for the shingles vaccine.
Through their daily interactions with patients
and carers, community pharmacists provide
an essential link in the safe and effective
management of chronic conditions.
Expanding the role of pharmacists
In 2023, the Government recognised the unique role of community pharmacists and created an Expert Taskforce to support the expansion of their role.
In 2025, the first of their recommendations was implemented with the launch of the Common Conditions Service, which enables community pharmacists to provide treatment, including prescription treatments, for eight common conditions. This private and confidential consultation service is available at participating pharmacies to give people across Ireland faster access to trusted healthcare.
Pharmacists and pharmacy teams continually engage and support their patients, providing timely interventions and supporting continuity of care through medicines counselling, advice and information, along with preventative care and health promotion.
The IPU, on behalf of its members, has worked alongside the HSE, the Asthma Society, the Irish Heart Foundation and other advocacy groups to ensure the safe, effective management of chronic conditions in the community.
