NSW makes access to oral contraceptive pill easier for women as pharmacists authorised to refill prescriptions

Thousands of women in NSW will have easier access to the oral contraceptive pill from this week, as the state government makes permanent a trial scheme designed to ease pressure on the healthcare system.

From Saturday, women who have been taking the pill for the last two years will be able to get their script refilled by a certified pharmacist instead of having to book an appointment with their GP.

The trial launched last September at more than 1000 pharmacies and allowed eligible women aged 18 to 35 to access up to 12 months of a new supply of low-risk contraceptive pills.

The state government has now extended the program to include women up to 49, who will be able to access up to three months’ extended supply without having to visit their doctor.

It will only apply to pills prescribed solely for birth control, not other issues such as skin or endometriosis.

Eligible women should bring a box of the pill they take to show the pharmacist.

Premier Chris Minns said the trial had been a “huge success”.

“We know that people across NSW are doing it tough right now, even cutting back on essential healthcare because of affordability,” he said.

“At a time when seeing a GP can be difficult, we hope that this service will make it a little bit easier for women to access affordable healthcare, where and when they need it,” he said.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the scheme would give women easier ongoing access and take pressure off the healthcare system.

It comes as the government continues to expand the scope of pharmacists to treat a range of conditions people would usually have to visit the doctor to address.

Gastro, acne and ear infections will soon be among the issues people can visit a pharmacist for, “boosting access to fast, convenient healthcare across NSW”, Park said.

“By empowering pharmacists to undertake consultations for these common conditions and medications, we can help improve access to primary care services, which will relieve the pressure on the state’s busy GPs and our hospital system.

“We are working with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and Pharmaceutical Society of Australia to ensure pharmacists have the support they need to continue delivering best practice and connected primary care.”

The Royal Australian College of GPs has criticised the expansion, accusing the government of putting politics before patient safety.

“If you get a diagnosis wrong, the consequences can be devastating,” RACGP NSW chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman said earlier this month.

“There are significant risks of serious and even life-threatening illnesses being missed with the conditions the NSW Government wants to allow pharmacists to treat.”

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia New South Wales President Luke Kelly on Thursday welcomed the expansion, saying pharmacists continued to show they could do more to support patients.

“Giving our patients the option to access contraception through skilled community pharmacists is an important step in making reproductive care more accessible to women across the state,” Kelly said.