An NHS Pharmacy service providing an oral contraception without needing to see a GP is celebrating its first anniversary this week. Over the last 12 months, 53,000 women across the region have visited their local community pharmacy in the Midlands to begin oral contraception or for a repeat prescription through the service.

In the East Midlands over 17,000 people have benefitted from being seen at a community pharmacy for initiating or a repeat supply of oral contraception. More than 692 East Midlands community pharmacies now offer this contraception service to local people providing convenience and easy access for people in their local area.

Benefits include improving peoples access to oral contraception, saving time booking a GP appointment and being seen conveniently at their local pharmacy in a private consultation room by the pharmacist, with walk in, evening and weekend consultations available too.

Pharmacists are qualified clinicians, who have had years of training. Now more and more their roles are evolving to maximise their skills and to help address health inequalities by providing wider healthcare access in their communities and signposting service users to local sexual health services.

An additional benefit is the increased capacity for GP practices and sexual health clinics allowing them to support meeting the demand for more complex assessments.

Patients can self-refer to a community pharmacy, or they may be referred by their GP, sexual health clinic or another NHS service. They will then be offered a confidential consultation in a private consultation room and a shared decision will be made together with the pharmacist.

The service which launched as a pilot last year saw pharmacists initially offering repeat supply of oral contraception to people following an initial consultation and prescription from their GP. Following its success, it was developed to allow pharmacists to be able to initiate, supply and advise on oral contraception.

Dr Vijay Rawal, an East Midlands GP and Regional Medical Director for Primary Care in the Midlands said ‘It’s a great offer which allows women to be seen by a pharmacist, a qualified health professional, usually on the same day, even during the weekends and evenings sometimes.

Being able to visit a community pharmacy and see a pharmacist 1-1 to start on or receive a repeat supply of oral contraception offers people greater choice and access when considering starting or continuing their current form of oral contraception.

Pharmacies across the Midlands have great working relationships with their local GP practices about the extra services they provide including oral contraception and if there is a need the patient can be referred to see their GP.

Emma Anderson, Pharmacist at Evans Pharmacies said “The first year of providing the pharmacy oral contraception service at Evans has been a great success.

People are very happy to be offered the NHS oral contraception service at our pharmacy and are becoming used to seeing pharmacists for clinical appointments. It also gives people another option to have when accessing oral contraception which is great and gives them choice when deciding what works best for them.

We have confidential consultation rooms, and our staff are very welcoming and approachable. People can pop in to make an appointment, give us a call or drop us an email. We even offer evening appointments, and we have got a really good relationship with our local GP surgery who send us weekly referrals for oral contraception, and common illnesses.”

Harjeet Munday, Pharmacist at The Medicine Box located at the Loughborough University Student Union said “Our patients love the service because it’s convenient, confidential and accessible. They can access their contraception directly from us, there is no need to visit the GP or sexual health clinic which saves them time and makes thing easier. We provide a private and professional environment for them to discuss their contraceptive needs, helping them feel comfortable and at ease and it is particularly accessible for high-risk our and vulnerable patients.

The service has created a path between existing services and community pharmacies, delivering extra services for us means a smoother and more efficient healthcare experience for patients.”

NHS England Regional Chief Pharmacist for the Midlands, Richard Seal said: “This is a great opportunity for pharmacists to utilise more of their skills and we are delighted that over 1650 have already registered to the scheme.

“Since it launched, the number of referrals and consultations have been increasing across the Midlands all the time.”

One patient at an Asda Pharmacy in Lincolnshire said “It is much easier to come to the pharmacy than to go to my GP. Also, I get my pill at the same time”

Another said “It is more convenient to get my pill from the pharmacy, I can come after I finish my work or on weekends’

Whilst another who was seen on the same day said ‘I wanted to change my pill as it did not suit me. My GP surgery said I would need to wait 2 weeks for the appointment. I went to my pharmacy and they told me they can do it now. I was able to have a consultation the same day’

To see which pharmacies are taking part in the service to offer oral contraception, visit Find a pharmacy that offers the contraceptive pill without a prescription – NHS (www.nhs.uk)