The NHS has made the morning-after pill available free of charge across all pharmacies in England in what has been hailed as one of the most significant improvements to women’s healthcare in decades.
Almost 10,000 pharmacies will now be able to supply emergency contraception without cost or appointment, ending what campaigners have long described as a “postcode lottery” in access.
Until now, women in some parts of the country had to pay up to £30 for the pill or wait for an appointment with their GP or at a sexual health clinic.
The change, which came into effect on Monday, is part of the NHS’s wider plan to make reproductive and sexual health services easier to access at community level.
‘A gamechanger for women’s health’
Dr Sue Mann, NHS national clinical director for women’s health, said the move represents “one of the biggest changes to sexual health services since the 1960s.”
“Instead of having to search for women’s services or explain their needs, women can now simply walk into their local pharmacy and get the emergency contraceptive pill free of charge without needing an appointment,” she said.
She added that with four in five people living within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy, the reform is a key part of the NHS’s 10-year plan to bring healthcare “into the heart of communities.”
Health experts and campaigners say the move could help reduce unwanted pregnancies and ensure more equitable access to contraception, particularly for young women or those in rural areas.
Expanding pharmacy roles
The initiative comes alongside a broader NHS rollout that allows pharmacists to play a greater role in community healthcare.
From this week, people who have been newly prescribed antidepressants will also be able to seek follow-up support, lifestyle advice, and medication guidance directly from their local pharmacy, without needing a GP appointment.
Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, which represents around 6,000 independent pharmacies, said the new service was “good news for both patients and pharmacies.”
“For too long, access to free emergency contraception has been a postcode lottery,” he said. “It’s vital that pharmacies, which are under significant pressure and closing in record numbers, are sustainably funded so they can continue to provide essential services like these.”
Government backing
Stephen Kinnock, the minister for care, said the new policy would help remove barriers that had “let women down for too long.”
“This is a major step forward that ensures reproductive care is easier to access,” he said. “Pharmacies play a central role in communities, trusted by local people and easy to reach — that’s why they’re so vital to the NHS.”
The rollout forms part of a broader effort to modernise pharmacy services and relieve strain on GPs by shifting more care into community settings.
Campaigners have welcomed the change as a long-overdue step toward ensuring women can make informed choices about their reproductive health — without cost, stigma, or delay.
