Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) Scheme within Pharmacists
| Description | The project improves access to emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) for under 16s and provides advice on contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to young women. |
|---|---|
| Setting | Five pharmacists within Wellingborough and Corby |
| Populationting | Women and girls under 20 years |
| Intervention summary | Five pharmacists supply free EHC to under 16s and advice on contraception and STIs. |
| Outcome Summary | Reaching an average of 20 young women per week |
| Startup Cost | Approximately £500 for training costs. |
| Running Cost | £10 000 per year |
| Funding | Teenage Pregnancy Grant |
| Started | December 2002 |
| Ended | Ongoing |
| Location | Wellingborough, England; Corby, England |
| Contact |
|
Background
The project works with five pharmacists to give under 16s access to Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC). We also give advice to young women on future contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
What is the problem you are trying to solve?
To improve accessibility to EHC for young woman, thereby helping to reduce the rate of unwanted teenage pregnancy and abortions in teenagers
What local organisations are involved?
The project is supported by five pharmacies: Boots and Armside in Wellingborough, and Asda, Mistry-Med and Thursfield pharmacies in Corby.
How many people are running this project and who are they?
The project is headed by Suzy Dion, Teenage Pregnancy Project Manager. The training programme the pharmacists attend involves the pharmacy lead, a sexual health trainer as well as a child protection lead.
What local population are you targeting?
Women and girls under 20 years old.
How many people are you targeting?
All young women and girls aged under 20 years, living in and around Wellingborough and Corby.
Interventions
What interventions are you using to address the problem?
The project works with five community pharmacies to give under 16s access to EHC using the Fraser guidelines. The pharmacists supply EHC using a Patient Group Direction (PGD). A PGD is a set of pre-agreed circumstances whereby a pharmacist can prescribe a drug: in this case EHC to young women aged under 20 years. It is free to young people under 20 years, not just under 16s. Those aged 12 or younger are referred on to specialist services such as Bodywise Family Planning or their GP.
The pharmacists also give advice to young women on future contraception and STIs. The pharmacists attend a training course that covers PGD, sexual health and child protection. They are then issued with a pack that they give to clients after consultation. The pack gives information on future contraception and STIs.
Is the project design based on evidence? If so, please state reference.
No
Outcome
What outcomes or planned outcomes are you measuring?
We collate statistics from each pharmacist on clients’ age, postcode block, time since unprotected sex, reason for request of EHC (a burst condom or missed pill for example), duration of consultation and whether a pregnancy test was taken. We review the figures every six months to see if teenage pregnancy figures are decreasing in these areas.
Do you have any outcomes or results yet? If so, what are they?
Statistics show that we are reaching a high number of young women: on average 20 young women a week. We are now planning clearer referral routes to long term contraception.
Is your project relevant to a government target or guideline?
Yes, the government target to halve teenage pregnancy by 2010 1 .
Feedback
What obstacles did you have to overcome to set up this project?
None found.
What have you learned about the project so far?
We have learnt that young people much prefer to access independent pharmacists than bigger chains as they feel they are less likely to be seen.
What would you do differently?
We would work with more independent pharmacists.