NHS Contraception Service

FREE NHS SERVICE

Start, restart, switch or continue the contraceptive pill at our pharmacy, completely free on the NHS, without needing a GP appointment. Our pharmacist sees you in a private room, carries out simple health checks, and where suitable you leave with your contraception the same day. Book online in under a minute, or simply walk in.

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Free consultation and free contraception on the NHS. Book online in under a minute, or walk in whenever we are open.
  • Book or walk in
  • Quick health checks
  • Leave with your pill
  • Completely free, pill included
  • No GP appointment needed
  • Private consultation room

The service

What is the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service?

The NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service lets you get the contraceptive pill directly from our pharmacist, whether you are starting for the first time, restarting after a break, switching pills, or picking up ongoing supplies. Everything is free, including the contraception itself, because contraception is exempt from NHS prescription charges. Our pharmacist assesses your suitability in a private consultation room under NHS agreed protocols.

The service covers combined pills and progestogen-only pills. You can book online or walk in, and after your consultation we update your GP record so your care stays joined up.

How we can help

Your pill, sorted at the pharmacy

Whatever stage you are at, our pharmacist assesses your suitability first, in line with NHS protocols, and supplies your contraception free where it is clinically appropriate. If a different method or a GP or sexual health clinic would suit you better, we will tell you honestly and point you to the right place.

Start the pill for the first time

New to the pill

Never taken contraception before? Our pharmacist talks you through the options, checks your suitability, and starts you on a combined or progestogen-only pill where appropriate, with clear guidance on taking it.

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Restart or switch your pill

Switching

Coming back after a break, or on a pill that does not suit you? We reassess, adjust and get you onto an option that works better, without a GP appointment.

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Ongoing supplies, no GP visits

Repeat supply

Already settled on your pill? Collect ongoing supplies from us with a quick check each time, typically up to twelve months of supply once things are working well.

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Simple and quick

How it works

Book or walk in

Book a time online in under a minute, or walk in to Erdington Community Pharmacy at 213 High Street. GP practices and sexual health services can also refer you to us.

Quick health checks

Our pharmacist sees you in a private consultation room, asks about your health and any medicines you take, and checks your blood pressure, height and weight, which matter for pill safety.

Leave with your pill

Where suitable you leave with your contraception the same day, free of charge. A first supply is typically around three months, then up to twelve months at a time once your pill is working well for you.

Both the consultation and the contraception are completely free, because contraception is exempt from NHS prescription charges. The service is confidential, and we update your GP record after your visit so your care stays joined up.

Good to know

Who the service is for

  • Anyone who wants to start the contraceptive pill for the first time
  • Anyone restarting after a break, or switching from a pill that does not suit them
  • Anyone already on the pill who wants ongoing supplies without GP appointments
  • You do not need to see a GP first, and you do not need a prescription

Pill safety, know these signs

Serious problems on the pill are rare, but everyone taking it should know the warning signs of a blood clot. Seek urgent help if any of the following happen.

  • Sudden chest pain, breathlessness, or coughing up blood
  • Pain, swelling or redness in one leg
  • A sudden severe headache, weakness on one side, or problems with speech or vision
  • New migraine with aura while taking the combined pill, which needs a prompt review rather than 999

Call 999 for the first three, as they can signal a clot. For anything less urgent, call NHS 111 or come and speak to our pharmacist, and tell any clinician you see that you take the pill.

Your local pharmacy

Why Erdington Community Pharmacy

NHS commissioned service

We provide the Pharmacy Contraception Service on behalf of the NHS, following the same clinical protocols as every provider in England.

GPhC-registered pharmacy

Premises No. 1107990, under Superintendent Pharmacist Mohammad Luqman Ghani (GPhC 2220694).

Private consultation room

Every contraception consultation happens in a private room at 213 High Street, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 6SS.

Common questions

Contraception service FAQs

Is the contraception really free?
Yes, completely. The consultation is free and so is the pill itself, because contraception is exempt from NHS prescription charges. There is nothing to pay at any point, whether you are starting for the first time or collecting your twelfth month of supply.
Which pills does the service cover?
Both main types of oral contraception, the combined pill and the progestogen-only pill, sometimes called the mini pill. Our pharmacist helps you choose the type that fits your health and your life, and the specific pill is selected with you during the consultation based on what is clinically suitable.
What checks are involved?
A short private conversation about your health, your family history and any medicines you take, plus your blood pressure, height and weight. These matter because they affect which pill is safe for you. The whole appointment usually takes around fifteen to twenty minutes for a first supply, and less for repeats.
Can I really start the pill without seeing a GP?
Yes. Under the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service our pharmacist can start you on oral contraception, switch you, or continue your supply, all under NHS agreed protocols. If anything in your history means a doctor should be involved, we will say so and refer you rather than guess.
How much supply will I get?
A first or restarted supply is typically around three months, so you can check the pill suits you. Once you are settled, we can supply up to twelve months at a time, which means no more last-minute GP appointments just to stay covered.
What about the implant, injection, coil or emergency contraception?
This service covers the pill. Implants, injections and coils are fitted by GPs and sexual health clinics, and we will happily point you to local services and talk through the options. If you need emergency contraception, come in or contact us straight away and our pharmacist will help you quickly and privately.
Is it confidential, and will my GP know?
The consultation is confidential and happens in our private room. As part of the NHS service we update your GP record afterwards so your medical history stays complete, exactly as a sexual health clinic would. If you have concerns about confidentiality, raise them with our pharmacist and they will talk them through with you.

Your contraception, without the waiting room

Start, switch or continue the pill free on the NHS, with simple health checks done at the pharmacy and your supply in hand the same day where suitable. Book online in under a minute, or walk in whenever we are open.

Book now