Information on choice of contraception is lacking
Awareness of different contraceptives can be raised by pharmacists |
Raising the profile of different methods of contraception and changing prescribing practices could result in annual savings to the NHS of approximately £33m, according to research commissioned by the fpa.
The research, carried out at the Centre
for Health Services Research, Newcastle University, suggests that contraceptive methods routinely offered
to women do not always meet their needs and changing prescribing patterns
would reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and subsequent costs
to abortion and maternity services. For example, they estimate that the
use of implants and the intrauterine system would increase by 9 per cent
and 8 per cent, respectively, if women’s preferences were reflected.
Nuttan Tanna is a specialist pharmacist who runs an undergraduate pharmacy
and obstetrics and gynaecology teaching programme at Imperial College
School for Science and Medicine, London. She believes that primary care
organisations that want to invest resources in the development of locally
based contraception services should include pharmacy input at the early
business planning stage. “Pharmacies offer convenient access within
the community and can play an important role in raising awareness about
the different methods of contraception. Community pharmacists undertaking
medicines use reviews as part of advanced services can ensure that these
women are appropriately counselled and their GP informed if the woman
wishes to consider alternative contraceptive methods.” She added
that pharmacists who are supported to train as prescribers could greatly
reduce GP workload — another important factor that needs to be
considered with service redesign.
The fpa research also addresses abortion waiting times. It says that
reducing waiting times by 10 days would increase the proportion of abortions
carried out under 10 weeks to 71 per cent. This would result in further
savings of up to £30m per year since more women would be eligible
for early procedures that are cheaper.
The full report will be published in September. |
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Pharmaceutical Journal
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