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NSW pharmacists will be able to prescribe the contraceptive pill directly to women without a GP appointment.
The reform, announced on Wednesday by the state government, will give women faster, more convenient access to contraception and take pressure off GPs.
“Being able to go to your local pharmacy and sort it out quickly just makes sense,” Premier Chris Minns said.
“This is basic healthcare for millions of Australian women, and this is about making it easier to get that care, without extra cost or hassle.”
It follows a clinical trial that began in September, which allowed pharmacists to offer women resupplies of their contraceptive pill.
To date, 773 pharmacists are registered with Healthdirect to provide the resupply service in NSW.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said this would address gaps for essential reproductive healthcare, particularly for women where cost and location limit access to care.
The NSW government will pay for the first 5000 consultations with a trained pharmacist with a $4.5 million investment, after which, women can expect to pay between $20 and $60 for the consultation.
The Royal Australian College of GPs has strongly opposed similar moves in Victoria, arguing pharmacists lacked the clinical experience to differentiate between similar-looking conditions in the pressure of a retail environment.
In March, the college released a dossier of 64 alleged medical blunders involving pharmacists misdiagnosing patients, including patients being prescribed antibiotics to treat suspected urinary tract infections that turned out to be herpes and cancer.
Pharmacists who have undertaken a graduate certificate course from James Cook University and completed a NSW induction to reproductive health course will be able to prescribe the contraceptive pill for women over 18 years old who have a lower risk of complications.
The state government anticipates 60 pharmacists will be eligible to start prescribing, and more will do so once they have completed the certificate.
“Contraception is not a ‘nice to have’ for women,” Youth Minister Rose Jackson said.
“It’s a fundamental part of our lives. When you are empowered to control your reproductive health, you are able to take control of your life.
“For too long, young women have had to jump through unnecessary and expensive hoops to access routine prescriptions for the oral contraceptive pill.”
In addition to the new prescribing powers, pharmacists will also be able to resupply more contraceptive options, including additional oral contraceptives, the medroxyprogesterone acetate injection, and the combined hormonal contraceptive ring.
Health Minister Ryan Park said expanding contraceptive options would help communities access fast and convenient healthcare across NSW.
Catherine Bronger, senior vice president of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s NSW branch, said the announcement recognised that trained pharmacists could safely deliver the service, which would improve access, particularly for women who faced barriers to seeing a GP.
The Pharmacy Board of Australia will release national guidelines for endorsed pharmacist prescribers. Once endorsed by all health ministers, universities will be able to apply to have similar courses accredited for pharmacists wanting to prescribe.
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