NPA Game Plan - National pharmacy association

10
Advance supply
Advance supply of levonorgestrel to patients by pharmacists can be considered.
However, there is no evidence to support this as a routine provision.
Special Considerations
Enzyme-inducing drugs
For women taking enzyme-inducing drugs (or within 28 days of stopping such drugs) a
Cu-IUD should be offered initially. For women who are not suitable for a Cu-IUD or decline
this method, two levonorgestrel 1.5mg tablets should be taken within 120 hours of
unprotected sexual intercourse (the efficacy after 96 hours is unknown), the FSRH advises.
This would fall outside of the product licence and pharmacists should refer patients to an
appropriate service so that it can be prescribed.
Obesity
All doses of EC can be used in obese women. An increase in the dose of oral EHC is not
recommended.
Working with young people
Young people (under the age of 16) are entitled to access EHC (as they are other GU/FP
services) and have their confidentiality protected. To assess a person under the age of 16,
pharmacists should use the Fraser Guidelines to assess the young person is competent to
consent to the treatment. Further information on this can be found on:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/
Pressreleases/DH_4086804
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/
digitalasset/dh_4086914.pdf
Girls under the age of 13 (with their consent) should be referred to appropriate services
following child protection guidelines.
Further resources and training
• England and Wales: training on contraception and emergency contraception can be
accessed via the Centre for CPPE and Welsh CPPE
• Northern Ireland: training on emergency contraception and sexual health can be accessed
via the NI Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development
• Scotland: training on sexual health and hormonal contraception can be accessed via NHS
Education for Scotland
• Clinical guidance from the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH).
• Local training, including child protection training
• NPA Information Department Telephone: 01727 891800 / 0844 736 4201
or email: information@npa.co.uk.
References
• Emergency contraception guidance, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare,
August 2011 (updated January 2012)
• HS Choices, Intrauterine device (accessed 13/03/2012)
www.nhs.uk/conditions/Intrauterine-device-(IUD)/Pages/Introduction.aspx