Pharmacists can supply women with IUDs and implants as part of NHS plans to ease GPs.
Under the same revolution in access to contraception, women will also be able to get the pill without a doctor’s appointment.
The system, which is currently being tested, will be fully rolled out in England later this year, MailOnline has learned.
This is part of the wider effort to ease the pressure on GPs, as pharmacists have already been given the power to issue sick notes.
Experts hope that the reforms, which are still being negotiated with the unions, will result in a further 2 million new hires per year.
Women can now get their annual birth control pill at the pharmacy, and there are plans to soon introduce implantable and injectable contraceptive checks
Current regulations allow pharmacists to dispense oral contraceptives and give advice on different types of contraceptives. But they may not prescribe, measure or perform an annual pill test.
The reform, which is due to start at national level in the coming weeks, has been divided into four phases.
In the first case, the pharmacist can carry out an annual control of the birth control pill, which completely removes the responsibility of the GP.
Such appointments also include checking a patient’s weight and blood pressure and whether side effects are occurring Discuss alternative birth control methods and share information on how patients can switch to a new method.
It will be available to those already on the pill. However, women can still visit their GP for an annual check-up if they wish.
The first level of the National Contraceptive Service was to be rolled out nationwide from 11 January. However, IT issues have delayed its national rollout, insiders say.
In the second phase, currently rolling out from October, pharmacies in England will also be able to prescribe the pill to anyone who wants to use it.
Both phases have already been tested in pilots across the country.
In the third phase, pharmacies will monitor and control the dispensing of repeated-acting reversible long-acting contraceptives (LARC).
LARCS are implants – a small plastic rod placed in the upper arm that prevents pregnancy for three years.
It also includes intrauterine systems (IUS) and intrauterine devices (IUDs), which are small T-shaped devices that are inserted into the uterus – usually by a doctor or nurse.
They work by either releasing progestin (IUS) or made of copper (IUD), both of which prevent pregnancy.
Pharmacists can also offer the contraceptive injection in the fourth phase of the plan.
The move comes as the government prepares to release its plan to restore basic services.
Ministers are expected to detail how ministers will deal with the record low level of public satisfaction with GP surgeries which has left patients struggling to get personal appointments.
It is also probably about giving pharmacists more powers and encouraging Britons to go to their local pharmacist for minor ailments.
Former shadow women and equalities secretary Taiwo Owatemi, who sits on the Health and Wellbeing Committee and chairs the All-Party Pharmacy Group (APPG), told MailOnline the service was a “welcome step”.
She said:I know this will be a vital lifeline for women in the UK who need contraceptives readily available in their communities.
“This will remove major obstacles that women face when they need to talk to a doctor and take care of themselves instead.”
And while I’m glad it’s finally coming to fruition; It is frustrating that the government’s hesitance and hesitancy has so delayed progress in this area.”
The Labor MP added: “I call on the government to consult the all-party group and pharmaceutical industry associations and listen to our concerns.
“Public pharmacies can provide so many services that we have to stop seeing our pharmacies as a source of supply for our medicine.
“A Pharmacy First program must be implemented so that pharmacies are always the first port of call for minor illnesses. It is only by giving pharmacies these additional powers that we can solve the primary care crisis.
“It is disappointing that Neil O’Brien, the Government’s Minister for Basic Services, is refusing to meet the APPG, an example of the serious failure of leadership this Government is showing to save our pharmacies.”
As part of the schedule, pharmacists can check the patient’s weight, height, blood pressure and ensure there are no dangerous side effects such as blood clotting and migraines, and dispense the drug. They can also discuss alternative methods of birth control and provide information on how patients can be switched to a new method
Meanwhile, Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists’ Association, which represents major pharmacy operators such as Boots, said: “The pharmacy contraceptive service is further recognition of the role that pharmacy can play in building capacity and resilience in primary care.
“We estimate that with investment, 2 million routine contraceptive appointments could be safely transferred from GPs to pharmacies.”
He added: “However, this first phase will only provide improved access for a limited number of people.
“The NHS needs to rapidly roll out the next phases – two, three and four – of this service.”
Pharmacy chiefs also called on the government to “provide the additional funding that is needed” to allow pharmacists across England to take part in the service.
Read more: “Sleepwalking a disaster in primary care”: More than 1,000 pharmacies and clinics closed since 2015, study shows
The impact of the pandemic, rising drug prices, labor shortages and inflationary pressures plunged the industry into crisis, leaving hundreds of shops on the high street at risk of extinction.
The package of funding awarded to pharmacies in England – to rise to £5.2 billion from 2019 to 2024 the representative body of community pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.
Mr Harrison added: “More than 42 million GP appointments can be safely transferred to pharmacies in England.
“This will require the government to invest at a cost of £67,000 per pharmacy in a sector that is currently underfunded.
He said: “The pharmacy sector is at a crossroads – investment now will help provide more and more NHS services, or pharmacies in all parts of England will continue to close forever.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, told MailOnline: “It is difficult to imagine how the pharmacy can continue to provide these services if the funding is simply deducted from the fees for other parts of the service . the training and the offer.
“Furthermore, NHS England’s inadequate IT solutions continue to complicate administrative aspects and hinder pharmacists’ ability to prioritize patient primary care.
“Therefore, there may be ongoing delays in the large-scale rollout of this service.”
Nick Kaye, vice president of the National Pharmacy Association, added: “Pharmacies are convenient and non-stigmatizing places to access sexual and reproductive health services.
“Most pharmacies have consulting rooms where confidential discussions can be held about the safe and effective use of oral contraceptives and possible side effects.”
However, he warned that “the chances of a successful national roll-out of the oral contraceptive service have been severely reduced by a decade of chronic underfunding which has brought pharmacies across England to their knees”.
Mr Kaye said: “Pharmacy owners are being forced to focus their energy on keeping their business going rather than implementing new NHS services.
“The money for this service is not new – it comes from existing pharmacy budgets. Pharmacies are being asked to do more and more work against ever-decreasing capacities to provide patient care.’
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
