Glasier, A., Baraitser, P., McDaid, L. , Norrie, J., Radley, A., Stephenson, J. M., Battison, C., Gilson, R. and Cameron, S. (2021) Emergency contraception from the pharmacy 20 years on: a mystery shopper study. BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health, 47(1), pp. 55-60. (doi: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2020-200648) (PMID:32554399) (PMCID:PMC7815628)
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Abstract
Background Emergency contraception (EC) was approved in the UK as a pharmacy medicine for purchase without prescription in 1991. Twenty years later we conducted a study to characterise routine practice pharmacy provision of EC. Study design Mystery shopper study of 30 pharmacies in Edinburgh, Dundee and London participating in a clinical trial of contraception after EC. Methods Mystery shoppers, aged ≥16 years, followed a standard scenario requesting EC. After the pharmacy visit, they completed a proforma recording the duration of the consultation, where it took place, and whether advice was given to them about the importance of ongoing contraception after EC. Results Fifty-five mystery shopper visits were conducted. The median reported duration of the consultation with the pharmacist was 6 (range 1–18) min. Consultations took place in a private room in 34 cases (62%) and at the shop counter in the remainder. In 27 cases (49%) women received advice about ongoing contraception. Eleven women (20%) left the pharmacy without EC due to lack of supplies or of a trained pharmacist. Most women were generally positive about the consultation. Conclusions While availability of EC from UK pharmacies has undoubtedly improved access, the necessity to have a consultation, however helpful, with a pharmacist introduces delays and around one in five of our mystery shoppers left without getting EC. Consultations in private are not always possible and little advice is given about ongoing contraception. It is time to make EC available without a pharmacy consultation.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | Funding The Bridge-It study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research’s (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme (HTA Project:15/113/01). LM is funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (CSO) at the MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow (MC_UU_12017/11, SPHSU11). Competing interests AG is a memb |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | McDaid, Professor Lisa |
| Authors: | Glasier, A., Baraitser, P., McDaid, L., Norrie, J., Radley, A., Stephenson, J. M., Battison, C., Gilson, R., and Cameron, S. |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU |
| Journal Name: | BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health |
| Publisher: | BMJ Publishing Group |
| ISSN: | 2515-1991 |
| ISSN (Online): | 2515-2009 |
| Published Online: | 17 June 2020 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2020 The Authors |
| First Published: | First published in BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health 47(1): 55-60 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence |
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