Tax relief expanded to pharmacist service for eight conditions

Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

People who get certain healthcare services from pharmacists will now be able to claim tax relief on the expenses.

The Common Conditions Services (CCS), launched in January, allows pharmacists to provide advice and treatments for eight conditions.

It was designed to free up GP appointments for people with more complex needs.

More than 94 per cent of community pharmacies across Ireland have signed up to deliver the service by the end of the month.

Existing schemes allowed people to claim tax relief for health expenses, including GP visits and medications prescribed by GPs.

More than 700,000 people claimed back over €223 million in the last full year of available data.

On Thursday, Tánaiste Simon Harris and Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill announced the relief is being expanded to the pharmacy CCS.

The measure will be added to the Finance Bill later this year but, in the interim, a Revenue administrative practice will be in place.

Harris said the move will give people across Ireland faster access to “trusted healthcare”.

He added: “This will ensure that these individuals will be able to claim the same tax relief as they are currently able to avail of when visiting their GP.

“This new service is an important part of our Programme for Government commitment to further expand the services provided by pharmacists, recognising Irish pharmacists as highly trained, well-educated healthcare professionals.”

The CCS covers allergic rhinitis, cold sores, conjunctivitis, impetigo, oral thrush, shingles cystitis (uncomplicated urinary tract infection), and vaginal thrush.