A tweet highlighted that the morning after capsule isn’t accessible free in every single place (Image: Getty)
Emergency contraception may be prescribed free from GUM clinics, GPs, and sure pharmacies.
Nonetheless, when you go to a pharmacy with no prescription, you will have to pay as much as £35 to get your fingers on the morning after capsule.
With coronavirus restrictions which means many GPs are providing restricted appointments and sexual well being clinics operating on lowered hours, these requiring emergency contraception may find yourself having to entrance the fee or danger an unplanned being pregnant.
A latest tweet that was preferred over 6,000 occasions (earlier than the person turned her profile to non-public) acknowledged: ‘Should you suppose the conflict on ladies was over, you possibly can not get the morning after capsule without cost from pharmacies as I’ve discovered in the present day. It prices round £30, viagra is free. Girls want this capsule for quite a lot of causes and each is legitimate.’
The lady added that she’d tried three totally different pharmacies over the course of the day, however was advised that it wasn’t accessible free in any respect.
This isn’t strictly true, however does spotlight the discrepancy in availability of free emergency contraception throughout totally different areas – notably in comparison with non-emergency sexual well being companies.
Sildenafil (the non-branded model of viagra) may be bought with a personal prescription, or you will get a prescription on the NHS, and pay the conventional value, which is round £9 in England.
Some trusts throughout the nation will supply the morning after capsule free for girls, however that is depending on the place you reside, and isn’t assured.
With the morning after capsule needing to be taken inside round 72 hours after unprotected intercourse, it may be tough to get to an appointment at a surgical procedure or clinic.
If individuals don’t have the cash to pay for the contraception on the pharmacist, this may very well be problematic. There have additionally been situations where people are blocked from accessing this altogether (though that is uncommon).
For these attempting to get their fingers on emergency contraception who’re frightened about the fee, first check online to see where it’s offered free in your area. It is best to have the ability to get an appointment for a clinic in case your pharmacist don’t supply consultations.
Speaking about contraception during lockdown, pharmacist Deborah Evans advised Metro.co.uk: ‘My recommendation to anybody who’s anxious after unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure, is to present your pharmacy a name.
‘We are able to have a session over the cellphone that can assist you contemplate whether or not emergency hormonal contraception is appropriate for you and can handle the dialog discretely and confidentially. If appropriate, then you possibly can pop into the pharmacy to gather your pack.’
It’s unlucky that it’s one thing of a postcode lottery on the subject of how a lot you pay for these companies.
A Superdrug spokesperson advised Metro.co.uk: ‘There could also be quite a lot of the explanation why it will not be potential to entry the morning after capsule without cost and it’s largely depending on NHS commissioning companies. At Superdrug we provide it without cost wherever it’s accessible for us to take action.’
A Boots UK spokesperson added: ‘We stay dedicated to rising accessibility of Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) for girls, and we firmly consider in the appropriate of all ladies to entry these companies with ease and comfort.
‘It’s presently accessible as a free NHS service within the majority of our pharmacies the place there’s a domestically commissioned service accessible , nonetheless we proceed to encourage the federal government to supply one nationally commissioned NHS service accessible from all pharmacies for all ladies in England, as there’s in Wales and Scotland.
‘In all of our pharmacies throughout the UK, we provide an over-the-counter Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) service ranging from £15.99.’
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