A pilot program enabling women to get the contraceptive pill directly from a pharmacist, rather than going to a doctor for a script, was supposed to make life simpler. But the Queensland service is not as easy or cheap as first announced, and the health department says it will decide next year if the program continues.
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00:00Kaitlin Cranich is among the 200,000 Australian women per year who choose to use the contraceptive
00:11pill.
00:12The medical student was relieved when she found out access could get easier, with a
00:17pilot pharmacy program underway in Queensland.
00:19To be able to come and also get the medication that you need, which otherwise you can't get
00:24unless you go to a GP, pretty good.
00:27The 23-year-old has struggled to access the service, with her closest pharmacy not part
00:33of the pilot.
00:34There are pharmacies closer to me, but to have to come half an hour just to get pills
00:38is kind of frustrating.
00:39Across Queensland there are 70 pharmacies currently involved, seven are in Brisbane.
00:45Females over 16 have access to the service.
00:48150 pharmacists are in training.
00:51As pharmacies get more and more members of their team trained up, I'm sure we'll see
00:55more advertising of it.
00:57A standard pharmacy consult fee of $35 will remain in place.
01:02There's certainly been advocacy to waive that fee for certain populations.
01:06I think there are people such as concession card holders shouldn't have to pay for this
01:11service.
01:12Stacey Huang is one of the first Queensland pharmacists to participate and agrees the
01:16fee should be waived.
01:18With the cost of living rising every year, absolutely.
01:23Queensland Health says the pilot program will continue through until June.
01:27The future of the service will then be assessed in a report handed down in September, but
01:32it wouldn't comment on whether the cost of the service would be subsidised.
01:36The Australian Medical Association believes women should see their GP instead.
01:41We feel that there's opportunity for women when they do see their GP is to have a full
01:46history examination.
01:48Other states are also trialling the program.
01:51New South Wales recently made it permanent.