Emergency contraception now available for free at 10,000 pharmacies
Morning-after pill made free at thousands of community pharmacies in England
- Women in England can now access the morning-after pill free of charge from almost 10,000 community pharmacies.
- This new service, effective from Wednesday, removes the previous cost of up to £30 and the requirement for a GP or clinic appointment.
- NHS England officials have described the move as the biggest change to sexual health services since the 1960s, significantly improving accessibility for women.
- Dr Sue Mann, national clinical director in women’s health at NHS England, highlighted that women can now confidentially obtain emergency contraception at their local pharmacy.
- The initiative is part of a wider government investment in community pharmacies, which also includes free consultations for the contraceptive pill and advice for new antidepressant prescriptions.