Oral Contraception Pilot
NHS Lambeth and Southwark have launched a year long pilot to enable young women aged 16 years and over access to oral contraception via a local pharmacy.
The aim of the oral contraceptive pilot is to increase access to contraception for sexually active young women who are not currently using contraception, particularly those who regularly use emergency contraception (morning after pill).
Lambeth and Southwark has the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the country and the service has been introduced because young women told us they would like to access contraception through pharmacies.
Jo Holmes, Head of Primary Care Delivery and Development at NHS Southwark, said: “We expect the pilot to help young women who have not previously used contraception to access it easily and safely. In turn, we hope to see a reduction in use of emergency contraception (morning after pill) and an increase in referrals to other services offering longer term contraception.
“The pilot also recognises that many young women already use community pharmacy to access emergency contraception. In Lambeth and Southwark there are over 8,000 consultations every year.”
Community pharmacists are providing a similar consultation service to local GPs and sexual health services. The service also provides information and referral for long acting reversible contraception (such as intrauterine devices, the intrauterine system, injectable contraceptives and implants).
Before they can start to deliver the pill community pharmacists undergo a three month accredited training programme with Kings College London and work to strict guidelines developed by doctors.
Cuthbert Chirinda from the Ridgeway Pharmacy in Southwark is one of the specially trained pharmacists in the pilot: “When a woman visits one of the three pharmacies taking part in the pilot and indicates they would like to talk about contraception, we see her there and then if we can or make an appointment if we are busy.
“We then carry out a consultation in a private room where we talk about the woman’s contraception needs to help her make a decision. Once the woman has considered her options, she makes a decision on the type of contraception she would prefer. If it is clinically appropriate we will then supply the oral contraception. If we feel long lasting contraception is more suitable we refer her to a GP practice or a sexual health clinic.
“At the same time the pharmacist will take the opportunity to discuss the other forms of sexual health advice and service on offer, such as access to condoms and testing for sexually transmitted diseases such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhea."
NHS Lambeth and Southwark initiated the early stages of development with the Modernisation Initiative, a 3 year transformation project funded by Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Charity. The project continued to develop with support from NHS London through funding from the Department of Health, always with the aim to enable better access to contraception.
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Press Contact: Andrew Pike 020 7525 2244/3105 andrew.pike@southwarkpct.nhs.uk
2. Photograph Jo Holmes, Head of Primary Care Delivery and Development at NHS Southwark