The morning-after pill could become free from pharmacies in order to end an “unfair postcode lottery”, according to a health minister.
The morning-after pill is a type of emergency contraception taken to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.
Despite its name, it can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex, but the sooner it is taken, the more effective it is.
Emergency contraception is free from most GPs and sexual health clinics, but pharmacies can charge up to £30.
Health minister Stephen Kinnock said women “face an unfair postcode lottery when seeking emergency contraception, with access varying dramatically depending on where they live”.
He described equal access to safe contraception as “a cornerstone of a fair society”.
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The proposal, which will be announced on Monday as part of a wider investment in community pharmacies, would come into effect later this year.
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As well as making access to the pill more equal, it is hoped the plans will free up appointments for GPs as women will no longer have to book in to receive the medicine.
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The government is making a raft of changes to the healthcare system, including scrapping NHS England, the administrative body that runs the national health service.
