Evaluation of a community pharmacy delivered oral contraception service

Abstract

IntroductionIn the UK half of all pregnancies are unplanned and half of teenage pregnancies terminated. Southwark and Lambeth have the highest teenage conception rates in London. In 2009, many teenage pregnancies in Southwark led to terminations. A contraception service was established where qualified pharmacists supplied oral contraception (OC) using a patient group direction (PGD). This service evaluation aimed to assess this service delivered in five community pharmacies.MethodsMonthly data were submitted by each pharmacy to the Primary Care Trust on consultations, pills supplied, initial or subsequent supply and client referral. For specified periods consultation time was collected and a clinical notes audit undertaken. Client satisfaction was determined using a structured questionnaire returned to the pharmacy. Mystery shoppers were employed to assess the service.ResultsA total of 741 consultations were undertaken by seven pharmacists at five community pharmacies (October 2009–June 2011) with many (45.5%) occurring following emergency contraception supply. The mean consultation time was 19 minutes . Combined OC was most commonly supplied with nearly half (46.1%) of initial supplies to first-time pill users. Most consultations (92.2%) were with women aged under 30 years, with 22.5% aged under 20. Most consultations were with black or black British clients. Of the 99 women who completed the satisfaction questionnaires, most clients were very satisfied or satisfied with the service and felt comfortable talking to the pharmacist about contraception.ConclusionsTrained pharmacists were clinically competent and provided OC in community pharmacy according to a PGD. This service was accessed by the target population; young women using emergency hormonal contraception who had not previously used OC. Clients were largely very satisfied with the service.

Sexual and reproductive healthcare providers’ opinions on expansion of pharmacy-led provision of contraception

“…The mean consultation time was 19 min,12 akin to an SRH clinic appointment time and longer than the average general practice consultation. This may help alleviate HCPs fears that pharmacy consultations would be ‘rushed’, however pharmacists themselves need to be consulted to know whether or not this is feasible within their workload.…”

Contraceptive use among women presenting to pharmacies for emergency contraception: an opportunity for intervention

“…However, research has also identified that pharmacists are not particularly good at providing advice about ongoing contraception, and some women have expressed concerns about receiving advice in the pharmacy about future contraception 9 12 13. A recent study in London, UK concluded that when pharmacists were trained to provide oral contraception by means of an approved PGD they were competent in doing so and women were satisfied with this additional service 14. Simple interventions within the pharmacy that may encourage and help women to start effective contraception after EC have also been the subject of recent research 15.…”

Umbrella: an innovative integrated sexual health service in Birmingham, UK

“…Community pharmacists have been contracted as partners to provide basic SHS (which Parsons et al 2. showed could provide a satisfactory service).…”