Pharmacy contraception service sees steady growth, but funding and access issues persist

The pharmacy contraception service was expanded to enable all pharmacists to initiate oral contraception last year 

Since the launch of the tier 2 NHS pharmacy contraception service in December 2023, over 8,500 initiation consultations have been conducted in England, according to data from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA).

The NHS BSA data obtained by The Pharmaceutical Journal showed that between December 2023 and April 2024, community pharmacies completed 8,531 contraception service initiation consultations.

Tier 2 of the service enables community pharmacists to begin oral contraceptive treatment through a patient group direction.

It builds on tier 1 service, which focuses on the ongoing monitoring and supply of repeat oral contraception prescriptions.

As per the latest data, community pharmacies carried out 48,234 consultations under tier 1 of the service between December 2023 and April 2024.

Furthermore, the NHS BSA data indicated a steady rise in the number of initiation consultations each month.

In February 2024, pharmacies carried out 1,837 consultations, increasing to 2,235 in March 2024 and reaching 2,803 consultations in April 2024.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced in January 2024 that almost 3,000 contractors had signed up for the expanded NHS England Pharmacy Contraception Service.

This figure was included in a statement released on 17 January 2024, announcing the government's women's health priorities for the year.

However, the NHS BSA data showed that 1,240 contractors conducted 2,803 initiation consultations in April 2024.

Jasmine Shah, head of advice and support at the National Pharmacy Association, stated that the growing number of pharmacy consultations for initiating oral contraception highlights the importance of “choice for women.”

“Pharmacies are convenient and non-stigmatising places to access sexual and reproductive health services,” she told The Pharmaceutical Journal.

However, she pointed out that the service was introduced against the backdrop of years of underfunding, which has reduced the resources needed to implement new NHS services and slowed engagement.

Meanwhile, Tase Oputu, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s English Pharmacy Board, emphasised the urgent need to address the “gap in emergency contraception services.”

“Women across England should have equal, free access to emergency contraception through community pharmacies like women in Scotland and Wales,” she said.

Oputu called on the NHS to standardise this service to promote fairness and ease the burden on other healthcare services.

The pharmacy contraception service was expanded to enable all pharmacists to initiate oral contraception starting 1 December 2023, as part of NHS England's ‘Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care’.