Pharmacy on Web

To provide a Free Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP) service through the Community Pharmacies together with a Pamphlet detailing how the ECP should be taken and what else should be done, how to get information on other methods of contraception, where to go regarding Sexually Transmitted Infections and how to seek help if the sex was non consensual.  In addition a supply of condoms will be provided to each person receiving ECP.

Currently a person requiring the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) can gain this in a number of ways:

-          Purchasing it over the counter from a pharmacy

-          Obtaining it for free by visiting family planning or Auckland Regional Sexual Health Services

-          Visiting a GP and obtaining a prescription– some funding is directed towards making this service free within ProCare Network Auckland for Under 18 year olds.

By removing the barrier around cost in Community Pharmacies we will prevent downstream consequences of inactivity around dealing with unprotected sex.  Whilst it is true that people can obtain free services by going to specific venues in the city there is often a reluctance to seek that service once the initial attempt of getting the ECP free through the local pharmacy has been unsuccessful. 

We want to provide a free service, to people of all ages, in our network of local healthcare providers i.e. Community Pharmacies.

In addition to the ECP we will provide a packet of condoms free to encourage use of contraception.

We will also be providing a pamphlet which as well as detailing information about the pharmaceutical itself will provide useful health promotion material regarding other methods and suppliers of contraception, where to seek help around sexually transmitted infections and if the sex was not consensual.

We plan to translate the pamphlet into a number of languages (based on the frequency of requests for interpreter advice sort in both Auckland Regional Sexual Health Clinics and the Epsom Day Unit) and put this onto a website so that a Pharmacist can print the information off for a customer where language assistance is required.

The funding will be available to all pharmacies located in the ADHB area.  We will agree to pay them $45 per dispensing of Levonelle 1 including completion of the consultation record form.   Pharmacies will be able to claim this through sending a carbon copy of the consultation forms monthly through to us with an invoice for payment.   The forms will capture the customer’s suburb of residence and ethnicity and if possible name and address.  This will allow us to analyse the access being achieved by this project.

The funding covers the cost of the dispensing (cost of the drug and payment to pharmacy for the dispensing), the cost of the condoms, the cost of the pamphlet generation and distribution.

The pool will be invoiced against until the $300k available funding is exhausted as the project funding is not sustainable.  Individual pharmacies will invoice the pool based on their level of demand.

ADHB does undertake to continue sustainable funding of the promotional pamphlets and translated versions beyond the end of the project.

As part of the national negotiations around the Community Pharmacy Contract the DHBs agreed that they would fund $5million across the country on value added services specific to pharmacy.  Auckland DHBs share of this is $500,000.  

ADHB have already committed $200k of this on Polypharmacy initiatives for older peoples health with the remaining $300k available and required to be used for alternative project(s).

ADHB asked our Pharmacy Community to come up with ideas for projects to deliver gains for our population.  After much discussion five projects were considered for prioritisation by our Local Pharmacy Advisory Committee with the Emergency Contraceptive Pill Project achieving the highest rating.  Projects were compared using the Prioritisation Framework which scores competing requirements for funding around Alignment to Strategic Direction, Whanau Ora, Equity, Effectiveness, Population Impact, Resources/Value for Money, Feasibility, Acceptability.  

Future Approach

The outcomes of this initiative will be evaluated and the outcome of this will inform discussion regarding confirmation and future funding bids.