Women across the South East are gaining faster, easier access to contraception as community pharmacies step up to deliver more NHS services on the high street.

With 97% of pharmacies in the region now signed up to the Pharmacy Contraception Service, the South East is leading the country in giving women greater control over their reproductive health and more choice in how and where they access care.

Between April 2025 and March 2026 community pharmacies across the region delivered more than 140,000 contraception consultations, with 30,000 emergency contraception consultations delivered from October 2025 when that service was launched.

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.

By giving women more flexibility and making contraception available closer to home, the NHS is reducing the barriers that have historically made accessing contraception difficult for many.

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.”

The South East’s strong uptake reflects the region’s commitment to tackling inequalities and improving access in communities where women have faced long waits or limited options.

Kent and Medway, Surrey and Sussex and Hampshire & Isle of Wight are among the top five Integrated Care Boards nationally for total consultations delivered, while Thames Valley ICB has near‑universal pharmacy participation, ensuring women can get the care they need close to home. Hampshire & Isle of Wight also recorded the largest increase in consultations across the region.

This progress comes alongside a major £340 million government investment to expand the role of community pharmacies and bring more NHS care onto the high street announced earlier this year. Under the new agreement, pharmacists with an Independent Prescribing qualification will be able to assess patients and prescribe medicines directly from Autumn 2026, reducing the need for GP referrals and giving people faster access to treatment for a wider range of conditions.

This builds on the success of Pharmacy First, which delivered 3.4 million consultations between April 2025 and March 2026 — a 40% increase on the previous year — with 89% of patients reporting a positive experience.

For women, these changes mean more convenient access to contraception, urgent advice, and treatment for common conditions without the need to wait for a GP appointment – all part of the shift to deliver more care in the community through the 10-Year Health Plan.

Women can find their nearest participating pharmacy using the NHS website’s pharmacy finder or emergency contraception search.

All pharmacists and pharmacy technicians delivering the service have received specialist training to provide emergency contraception and wider contraceptive care.