Contraceptive pill access expands nationwide

As reported by NHS England, starting next month, thousands of women in England can obtain the contraceptive pill directly from local pharmacies, marking a significant expansion of primary care services and streamlining healthcare access

Pharmacies across the country will begin offering the new contraceptive service in December with almost half a million women able to access the pill next year without needing to contact their GP first.

The rollout is part of the NHS and government’s primary care access recovery plan, announced by the head of the NHS and the Prime Minister in May, which committed to making it quicker and easier for millions of people to access healthcare on their high street.

Pharmacists will also ramp up the number of life-saving blood pressure checks given to at-risk patients over the next year with a commitment to deliver 2.5 million a year by Spring 2025 – up from 900,000 carried out last year. It is estimated this could prevent more than 1,350 heart attacks and strokes in the first year.

And beginning from early next year, patients will also be able to get treatment for seven common conditions directly from a pharmacy, without the need for a GP appointment or prescription. The new service will cover sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.

The ambitious blueprint aims to free up to 10 million GP appointments a year by next winter, and give the public more choice in where and how they access care.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “The care and support people receive from their local pharmacy is rightly highly valued by patients and so it is essential we use the skills and convenience of community pharmacies to make it as easy as possible for people to get the help they need.

“This is really good news for women – we all lead increasingly busy lives, and thanks to this action, rather than making a GP appointment, they can simply pop into their local pharmacy when they need or want to access contraception.

“We will also be expanding services so that more health checks are available for patients on the high street, which is not only better and easier for patients but also frees up NHS time for more GP appointments for those who need them most.”

As more pharmacies begin offering the contraceptive service, nhs.uk web page will be updated so women can check which pharmacy near to them is offering access to contraception.

For the first time across England, women will be able to walk into their local pharmacy to be supplied oral contraception for the first time, in addition to being able to receive their next supply.