A NEW scheme is helping women across the South East get faster, easier access to contraception through community pharmacies.
The NHS has said that 97% of pharmacies in the region have now signed up to the Pharmacy Contraception Service, which removes a number of barriers to getting access to contraception.
The service means women can visit their local pharmacy and have a confidential consultation with a pharmacist or trained pharmacy technician before receiving free oral contraception on the same day, without needing a GP or sexual health clinic appointment.
NHS figures show that between April last year and March this year community pharmacies in the region delivered more than 140,000 contraception consultations, with 30,000 emergency contraception consultations delivered from October last year when that service was launched.
The scheme is designed to tackle inequality of access as well as addressing problems where women have faced long waits or limited options.
Limited access to contraception can lead to unintended pregnancies, which in turn can lead to dangerous health concerns in women and in some cases unsafe abortions.
Inderjit Sanghera, Chief Regional Pharmacist for NHS England South East, said: “It is fantastic to see so many pharmacies across the South East committed to improving access to contraception and giving women greater choice and flexibility in how they manage their health.
“Being able to pop into a local pharmacy rather than wait for a GP appointment is invaluable for women with busy lives.
“It also helps us tackle inequalities by ensuring everyone–including those in our most vulnerable communities–can access the contraception they want and need, close to home.”
Details about finding a local phramacy are available via: nhs.uk/service-search/pharmacy/find-a-pharmacy
