What is the Pharmacy Contraception service? 

As of April 2023, the Pharmacy Contraception service enables easy and accessible contraceptive help and treatment. From December 2023, this service expanded to include the initiation of oral contraception. 

This change furthered the need for pharmacy help, as pharmacists play a major role in consulting, prescribing and managing patients on-going supply of oral contraception.  

Who can access this service? 

Those who can access the Pharmacy Contraception service, are individuals who are looking to start oral contraception (OC) and are already on OC and looking for a further on-going supply. 

However, it is important to note that each oral contraceptive has an age limit. Therefore, this restricts the group of people eligible for this service: 

• Combined oral contraceptive (for those from the age of menarche to 49 years old) 
• Progestogen-only pill (for those from the age of menarche to 54 years old)  

What extra is available to me with the Pharmacy Contraception service? 

Prior to the change in December, individuals wishing to start oral contraception would have needed to speak to a GP or visit a sexual health clinic first. Now, the Pharmacy Contraception service allows patients to skip the GP and speak to a pharmacist to start their contraceptive journey.  

Not only does the Pharmacy Contraception service at Allied Pharmacies reduce waiting times, but it offers immediate pharmacist help!  

Will I need to pay for this service? 

As this is an NHS service, the combined oral contraceptive and the progesterone only pills are available free of charge. However, it is important to speak to one of our pharmacists for further details on your treatment and receive professional advice. 

How can a pharmacist help? 

At Allied Pharmacies, our pharmacists can be of assistance in a variety of ways, such as:  

• Identify a person who may be suitable for the service and appropriately highlight this 
• Hold confidential consultations and assist patients with their current or on-going contraception 
• Provide contraceptive help and treatment 

With the patient’s consent, our pharmacists can share relevant information to their GP, so details are appropriately logged into their own personal medical records. 

Where can I access this service? 

You can find an Allied Pharmacy that provides this service by entering your postcode above. This will give you with a list of nearby pharmacies with their addresses and opening hours. 

You can also look for an Allied Pharmacy here, where you will find contact details such as a phone number, email address and directions. This will enable you to contact your local pharmacy for any queries or information regarding our Pharmacy Contraception service and more.