Pharmacy Daily | Tas Libs say they will extend pill supply

THE announcement on Fri that a re-elected Liberal Government would allow pharmacists to supply the oral contraceptive pill to women with a current prescription for an extra year, has been welcomed by the Tasmanian Branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

Branch President Helen O'Byrne said that women should have easier access to oral contraceptives and for many, taking the pill is a regular part of their health and wellbeing.

Currently, all pharmacists in Tasmania can only provide a limited amount of emergency supply of an oral contraceptive.

Patients are still required to visit their GP to receive a new script to continue a medicine that they may have been taking without complications for many years.

"Pharmacists are well placed to provide contraceptive services to women," O'Byrne said.

"While the Government's announcement is a step in the right direction, the Guild believes that pharmacists who have undergone further training should be able to initiate the oral contraceptive pill for healthy females."

"Most of my colleagues across Tasmania have experienced women coming to the pharmacy requesting the 'morning after pill' to avoid a potential unplanned pregnancy."

O'Byrne explained that pharmacists who supply the emergency 'morning after pill' provide counselling and advice.

"They are very aware that there are many Tasmanian women of reproductive age who are currently not taking the pill."

"In many cases, it is due to women not having regular access to a GP," O'Byrne said.

She mentioned Tasmania has one of the highest rates of unplanned pregnancies, and the difficulties people have in accessing a GP in Tasmania, even more so in rural and regional areas.

"Increased out-of-pocket costs to see a GP also means that many women in the state are not receiving timely care."

O'Bryrne added women tend to be higher users of the health system throughout their lives, due to menstruation, contraception, fertility, pregnancy and menopause and as pharmacists working in our local communities, "we are well placed to be able to better support healthcare access to the females in our community".

Tasmania has also commenced the 12-month Urinary Tract Infection Pilot to help women receive timely treatment for this condition (PD 04 Mar). JG