Your community pharmacy is able to provide over-the-counter products such as condoms, pregnancy tests, emergency contraception. Pharmacies also provide confidential access to NHS contraception services, including the provision of emergency and bridging contraception, safer sex and sexual health advice, all available in the privacy of a consultation room.
Bridging contraception enables pharmacists to offer a 3-month supply of a contraceptive pill to bridge the gap between the emergency contraception and longer-term contraception, allowing the patient to seek advice on their options and decide on a choice for a long-term method.
Some community pharmacists in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan are also able to provide routine oral contraception, without the need to book an appointment with your GP first. If you would like to access this service, you may wish to phone your local pharmacy to arrange a consultation with prescribing pharmacist, although this is not always necessary.
The pharmacies that offer this service can be found on the NHS 111 Wales website and selecting ‘Independent Prescribing for Common Ailments and Contraception’ from the filter column.