Pill Access Without GP Script

Women in Victoria will soon be able to access the oral contraceptive pill at selected pharmacies without needing a GP prescription.

From July, women aged over 18 will be able to obtain the pill through around 850 participating Chemist Care Now pharmacies across the state following a consultation with a trained pharmacist.

The consultation will be free, although patients will still pay for the medication itself.

Pharmacists must complete a postgraduate training module before providing the service.

Before dispensing the medication, they are required to conduct a consultation to check a patient’s medical history, assess potential risks and discuss other contraceptive options, including long-acting reversible contraception.

For women in fast-growing areas like Wyndham, the change may make it easier to access contraception without waiting for a GP appointment, particularly during busy periods or when local clinics are fully booked.

The change forms part of the Chemist Care Now program, which began as a pilot in 2023.

More than 76,000 pharmacy consultations have been delivered across Victoria since the program began, including about 17,000 services where pharmacists resupplied an existing oral contraceptive pill prescription.

The program already allows pharmacists to treat several common conditions, including uncomplicated urinary tract infections, shingles and some travel vaccinations.

Over the next two years the program is expected to expand to include another 23 treatments, including the resupply of hormone replacement therapy.

Women in Wyndham will be able to use the service at participating pharmacies once it begins in July.