Free emergency contraception in pharmacies: a snapshot of local impact from Kirklees

In Kirklees (a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England), emergency contraception (EC) has been free via 29 accredited pharmacies since 2017. The scheme is funded by Locala, the local sexual health service provider commissioned by Kirklees Council. A snapshot of EC provision was captured to understand trends in uptake in the region by user age, indication and postcode.

Our findings demonstrate the significant role pharmacies play in EC delivery in Kirklees, and highlight how free pharmacy provision has supported access for individuals who live further away from sexual health clinics. The recent announcement of expansion of free EC to all pharmacies in England1 allows these benefits to be felt nationwide, including areas that did not previously have local schemes.

Data from all EC consultations were collected over a 3-month period (August–October 2024) from three settings: integrated sexual health services (ISHS) via SystmOne, 29 accredited pharmacies via PharmOutcomes, and general practice…

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