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 West Midlands over 24,000 people have benefitted. More than 959 West 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 Rajiv Kalia, a Birmingham GP and Associate Medical Director for Primary Care in the Midlands said ‘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.

People can be seen by a pharmacist, a qualified health professional, usually on the same day, even during the weekends and evenings sometimes.

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.

Mal Singh, Pharmacist at Walkers Pharmacy in Birmingham said ‘The main benefit for our patients is easier access to consultations. We’re open six days a week and offer walk in appointments at times that suit their busy schedules, this has been a game-changer.

Patients also really value the opportunity to speak directly with a clinician about their contraceptive options – it’s empowering for them to make informed choices in a convenient and supportive setting.

We work in partnership with our local GP surgery and this service has made a noticeable impact. By taking on these consultations, we’ve helped free up precious appointment slots with clinicians and nursing staff, allowing them to focus on more urgent or complex cases. In today’s overstretched NHS, that extra capacity makes a big difference.

The feedback we’ve received has been overwhelmingly positive. Patients appreciate the flexibility and accessibility and to be able to speak to a pharmacist should they have any concerns.

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.”

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)