RPS backs call for nationally commissioned pharmacy contraception service

Only around half of community pharmacies are currently commissioned to offer emergency contraception service

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has partnered with the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare to advocate for a nationally commissioned service to provide free oral emergency contraception through community pharmacies in England.

Tase Oputu, chair of RPS in England, has called the current inequities in access to free emergency contraception in the country “unacceptable,” noting that only around half of community pharmacies are commissioned to offer this essential service.

As a result, many women are left without the support they need in time-critical situations.

She said: “All women should have equal access to free emergency contraception, no matter where they live.”

“Inconsistent commissioning of the service across England creates unnecessary barriers to those on low incomes and puts additional pressure on other healthcare services.”

Oputu stressed that a nationally commissioned service would not only ensure equitable access to emergency contraception but also empower community pharmacies to play an even greater role in reducing unplanned pregnancies and addressing health inequalities.

She pointed out that women in Scotland and Wales already benefit from a consistent service and underscored that “it's high time for England to follow suit.”

She highlighted that community pharmacies, with their long track record in providing accessible and expert care, are ideally placed to provide free emergency contraception as part of a standardised, nationwide approach.

She added that expanding this service would significantly improve women’s health outcomes and free up capacity in GP practices and sexual health clinics to focus on more complex care.

The Pharmacy Contraceptive Service was launched in December 2023 under the NHS and the previous government’s primary care access recovery plan.

The service allows women in England to access free oral contraceptive pills from pharmacies without needing to contact their GP first.

However, pharmacy bodies, including the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) and the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), have highlighted only around 48 per cent of community pharmacies are included in emergency hormonal contraception services.