Community Pharmacy Hormonal Contraception Pilot
Looking for hormonal contraception? The Community Pharmacy Hormonal Contraception Pilot offers patients aged 16 and older, and who meet other eligibility requirements, better access to hormonal contraception services. The Pilot services are being offered in participating Queensland community pharmacies. Find your nearest pharmacy below.
About the service
Your community pharmacist can consult with you about your contraception needs and help to determine the best option for you. This may include prescribing a contraceptive, providing a referral to a medical practitioner for further care, or both.
The consultation fee with your community pharmacist will range from $18.85 to $68.10 depending on the length of the consultation. Consultation fees are set by the Queensland Government. Speak to your community pharmacist to discuss this service further.
| Consultation | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Brief Consultation | <10 minutes | $18.85 |
| Standard Consultation | Between 10 to 20 minutes | $35.45 |
| Long Consultation | >20 minutes | $68.10 |
*Medicare rebates are not eligible under the Pilot
*Pilot prescriptions are not subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
*GST and indexation may apply
The benefits for you and your family
Your participating community pharmacist has completed at least five years of education and training, a compulsory training course to participate in this Pilot service, and undertakes continual professional development annually, meaning you are in good hands. Plus, most community pharmacies are open in the evenings and on weekends, and you may not even need an appointment to see the pharmacist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Authorised community pharmacists being able to prescribe a range of hormonal contraceptives gives Queenslander’s access to convenient reproductive health care at one of the hundreds of community pharmacies across Queensland.
This service is available now! To find the nearest participating community pharmacy, please use the map located at the top of this page.
Hormonal contraception is a method of birth control that involves using hormones to prevent pregnancy. These hormones work to stop pregnancy by preventing the release of eggs from the ovaries (oestrogen) and/or thickening the cervical mucus making it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus (progestogen).
Under the Pilot program, the duration of the consultation is based on the nature and complexity of each individual case. The duration determines the consultation fee outlined in the table above as set by Queensland Health. If you’re still unsure, contact your community pharmacy to discuss the service further.
Patient consent
Your community pharmacist or pharmacy assistant will provide you with a patient information and consent document to review. Before the service, your community pharmacist will verbally confirm your consent to participate.
Your privacy and confidentiality are very important. All data collected from the service for research evaluation purposes is anonymous and is only accessible by the evaluation team. For more information on how your information is handled, please read the Participation Information Sheet, or talk to your community pharmacist.
Screening and eligibility questionnaire
Your community pharmacist or pharmacy assistant will ask you a few questions to determine your eligibility to participate in this service.
The outcome
After a collaborative consultation between you and the community pharmacist, they will decide on a course of action. This may include prescribing an appropriate form of hormonal contraception, a referral to a GP, or maybe both.
Recommended care
Depending on the outcome of your consultation, your community pharmacist may provide you with a prescription that can be filled at any community pharmacy, or you will be given a referral letter to take to your GP.
If you have provided consent, your community pharmacist will also send a summary of the consultation to your nominated GP.