The ISF operates an Ask-a-Nurse Helpline service which provides direct, accessible and specialist guidance for people affected by all types of skin conditions in Ireland.
The Helpline operates on an appointment model. This allows us to match each person seeking support with a nurse best suited to discuss the skin condition or issue they are experiencing.
The service offers an uninterrupted opportunity for a personalised, private, and meaningful exchange with a dermatology nurse specialist.
You can contact us by clicking the link below. The service is completely free.
If you need assistance, we answer general phone and e-mail queries during opening hours and where necessary, arrange a call-back appointment from an ISF nurse.
At least one-third of the population is affected by a skin condition¹ and between 15-20% of GP consultations specifically relate to the skin². This represents between 3.5 and 4.7 million GP consultations in Ireland each year ³.
Waiting times for hospital dermatology appointments can be long – sometimes as much as a year. Skin diseases can be very distressing and cause over 180 deaths each year in Ireland, including 113 deaths due to malignant melanoma⁴.
Conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, rosacea and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) significantly impair quality of life, often to an extent that is as great as some life-threatening conditions such as cancer⁵.
The ISF is committed to the highest standards of privacy when dealing with your query. You can read our Privacy Statement here and our Terms of Use here. The ISF is a member of the Helplines Partnership.
1: Hay et al, The Global Burden of Skin Disease in 2010: An Analysis of the Prevalence and Impact of Skin Conditions, Society for Investigative Dermatology, (2014) 134, 1527-1534.
2: Reported by the Primary Care Dermatology Society of Ireland (2015).
3: The Irish Medical Organisation estimates that there are 25 million GP consultations each year, www.imo.ie and the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) estimates that in 2014 23,308,910 GP consultations (comprising GMS patients and private patients) were held in Ireland (NAGP: Pre-Budget Submission 2016).
4: In Ireland between 2003-10 an average of 181 people died each year as a result of diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (68) and melanoma (113); figures from the OECD.
5: Skin Conditions in the UK: a Health Care Needs Assessment, NHS, 2009.