Pharmacy Daily | Contraceptive counselling a good fit

PROVIDING contraceptive advice would fit well with pharmacists' existing roles, but the lack of funding for such services is a significant barrier for the profession, research from Monash University reveals.

A study published in BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health found that while community pharmacists provide contraceptive information and counselling, they "lack the necessary resources and support to be able to consistently provide quality, person-centred care".

Of the 366 pharmacists surveyed, 85% agreed that "contraceptive counselling fits within their current professional activities and emphasised benefits to their patients, including improved access to contraceptive decision support (80%), as being key motivators of counselling".

"A lack of payment mechanisms (66%), training opportunities (55%) and technical assistance tools (54%) were the most important barriers," the authors said.

"Self-rated knowledge and confidence were highest for combined oral contraceptive pills and lowest for the copper intrauterine device (IUD).

"When tested, pharmacists were very knowledgeable about method, dosage, frequencies and costs, and relatively less knowledgeable about side-effects and IUD suitability for adolescents."

Lead author, Pip Buckingham, told The Australian that with pharmacists in North Queensland and NSW set to be authorised to prescribe contraceptives as part of trials in both jurisdictions, it will be "really important that pharmacists are aware of the sensitive nature of contraception and the many reasons a person many need emergency contraception".

"We need to make sure that all contraceptive care, whether it's provided by a pharmacist, GPs, nurses or any other health professional, is underpinned by relevant principles like patient-centred care, trauma-informed care, reproductive justice," she said.

"This is just as important as improving accessibility.

"Unlike other health professionals, pharmacists currently provide health-related advice and counselling without remuneration, which mean they may have to prioritise remunerated tasks such as prescription dispensing to maintain the pharmacy practice."