Women in the North East and Yorkshire will be able to get the contraceptive pill at selected local pharmacies from next month, the NHS has announced.

Pharmacies across England will begin offering the new service in December, and the NHS estimates, nationally, almost half a million women will be able to access the pill next year without needing to contact their GP first.

Six pharmacies in the North East and Yorkshire will offer the contraceptive pill from December and as more pharmacies offer the service the nhs.uk web page will be updated.

Women will be able to visit a participating pharmacy to receive a consultation and either be supplied contraception for the first time, or receive their next supply.

The move is part of the NHS and Government’s Primary Care Recovery Plan which commits to a major expansion in healthcare services to give patients quicker and more convenient access to care.

Pharmacies in the North East and Yorkshire which will offer the contraceptive pill service from December will be

• Cumbria. Urwin Chemist, Main Road, Seaton, Workington (CA14 1JE),
• Durham. Boots, 2/5 Market Place (DH1 3NB),
• Hull. Boots Pharmacy, The Orchard Centre, Orchard Park Road (HU6 9BX), and Newington Pharmacy, Anlaby Road (HU3 6EN),
• Newcastle upon Tyne. Boots UK Limited, Northumberland Street (NE1 7DQ),
• Sheffield. Welfare Pharmacy, Glossop Road (S10 2HS).

Women can use the service if

• you are already taking an oral contraceptive that has been prescribed for you,
• you are not currently taking an oral contraceptive pill but would like to,
• you need your next supply of contraception,
• you can access a participating pharmacy.

Andrew Hogan, MPharmS, Services Pharmacist at Boots in Durham, said: “Having taken part in the initial trial for women to access contraceptive services from their community pharmacy, and now involvement in the pilot service for women to access contraception initiation within a community pharmacy setting, I’ve seen first-hand the benefits to patients. Patients have fed back that ‘ease of access’ is a priority for them as well as knowing they are receiving expert care from a trusted healthcare professional.

“The service allows me as a pharmacist the opportunity to utilise my full skill set, delivering a robust consultation in partnership with the patient, leading to shared decision-making and the patient making an educated choice on what form of contraception is best suited to their individual needs. Having the service performed within the pharmacy allows immediate access to treatment without the need to visit general practice or primary care.”

Michele Cossey, Regional Chief Pharmacist, for NHS England in North East and Yorkshire (pictured), 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 pharmacy teams 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 this move will reduce barriers when women need or want to access contraception – rather than making a GP appointment, they can simply go to their local pharmacy.”