The oral contraceptive pill, often called 'the pill', prevents pregnancy. You take this as a tablet.
The vaginal ring is a soft plastic ring which contains two hormones, estrogen and progestogen. These hormones are similar to the ones in the contraceptive pill. In Australia the only vaginal ring you can buy is called NuvaRing©.
DMPA is the contraceptive injection. It is a hormone injection that prevents pregnancy. The injection works for 12 weeks. The injection contains DMPA, which is a hormone similar to progesterone. Progesterone is made naturally in the body by the ovaries. In Australia the contraception injection available is called Depo-Provera.
NSW Health recommends that you talk to your doctor about which hormonal contraception is right for you.
The Family Planning Hub fact sheets have more information about these hormonal contraceptive options:
Specific eligibility criteria are in place to ensure you receive safe and appropriate care.
To receive hormonal contraception continuation services at a pharmacy, you must be:
The pharmacist will ask questions during the consult to check if they can provide you with management. If you receive a continuation of hormonal contraception at the pharmacy, your pharmacist will seek your consent to notify your doctor.
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria your pharmacist will refer you to appropriate alternative care, such as your GP.
*The term ‘female’ is used to include all people presumed female at birth.
**Patients aged 40 – 49 years (inclusive), as well as those using DMPA, can only receive a limited supply of their hormonal contraceptive, and will be referred to their GP for follow-up. This is because there are additional risks associated with hormonal contraception use in these groups.
If you are younger than 18 years of age, it is important that you check in with your doctor regularly.
Your doctor will guide you on the best contraceptive method for you. If the doctor recommends hormonal contraception, they will provide you with a prescription that you can take to the pharmacy.
For some people the potential health risks of taking a hormonal contraceptive may outweigh the benefits.
For safety, if you are over 49 years of age it is best to speak to your doctor regularly to check for cardiovascular and other health risks.
Your doctor will provide you with a new prescription if hormonal contraception is right for you.
For people under 25 years and over 39 years of age, it is important that you check in with your doctor regularly when using DMPA injections.
DMPA can affect bone health over time, and younger people may still be building bone strength while older age groups may naturally have lower bone density. There may also be a higher risk of cardiovascular issues as people get older, and your doctor can help assess whether DMPA is still the safest option for you.
Your doctor will talk with you about the benefits and risks and help decide whether DMPA or another method is best. If DMPA is right for you, your doctor will provide a prescription and plan for ongoing care.
If you are not eligible to get a continuation of hormonal contraception, the pharmacist may recommend that you visit your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner can discuss what type of contraception is right for you. If they recommend hormonal contraception, they will provide you a new prescription.
Pharmacists are also able to supply some hormonal contraceptives (under Continued Dispensing arrangements ) as well as provide emergency contraception (sometimes called' the morning after pill').
Talk to your pharmacist if you are in this situation for guidance.
No, but if you can please bring in a box, past prescription or other record to show that you have been taking hormonal contraception.
The pharmacist will ask you:
The pharmacist will also take your blood pressure and record your height and weight.
The pharmacist is checking that you are eligible to get your continuation of hormonal contraception at the pharmacy and that it is safe for you.
To receive management from the pharmacist you will need to provide your name, date of birth, contact details and doctor (GP) name, if you have one.
You will also need to give your consent to receive management, if deemed appropriate, and consent for the pharmacist to share your consultation details with your GP.
Any information you provide in your consultation must be stored by the pharmacist using secure digital software, for a period of seven (7) years.
This service currently includes certain types of oral contraceptive pills, the combined hormonal vaginal ring, and depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA).
A qualified pharmacist can provide continuation for:
A combined oral contraceptive pill and combined hormonal vaginal ring is made up of two hormones, an estrogen and a progestogen. POPs or mini-pills, and the DMPA injection contain only progestogen.
Participating pharmacists can only continue
Many brands of the oral contraceptive pill are available with different types and doses of these hormones. Your pharmacist will not be able to change the type of hormonal contraception you are taking. If there is more than one brand available for the type of pill you are taking, discuss which brand you prefer with your pharmacist.
No, the pharmacist can only provide continuation of the hormonal contraceptive you have been prescribed by your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Pharmacists can only provide a continuation of your hormonal contraceptive if you use it mostly to prevent unplanned pregnancy (contraception).
You will need to speak to your doctor to get a prescription for the continuation of your hormonal contraceptive if you are taking it for other reasons, such as for acne (pimples), endometriosis, hormonal migraines or to reduce unwanted hair growth. This is to make sure these other medical conditions are being appropriately monitored by your GP or nurse practitioner.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, the amount a pharmacist can supply depends on your age and the type of hormonal contraception you use:
Not all pharmacists will choose to provide this service.
If they choose to provide the service, they must also meet requirements including completion of additional training and providing appropriate private consultation area.
Pharmacies that are not providing this service can still:
Hormonal contraception is safe for most women, however there is a very small risk of:
It is important that you speak with your doctor about the risks based on your age, medical history, family medical history and lifestyle.
Unplanned pregnancy can still occur when using hormonal contraception.
Hormonal contraception does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Condoms, when used correctly and consistently, can help prevent most STIs (including HIV) and also reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancy. They are safe, inexpensive, and widely available.
If you may be at higher risk of HIV or other STIs, you may be advised to see your GP or local sexual health service for further assessment, testing, and to discuss prevention options.
Other longer-acting forms of contraception can be very reliable and, for many people, more likely to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Talk to the pharmacist, your GP or nurse practitioner about these options.
Pharmacists must complete additional hormonal contraception management training to provide this service.
Participating pharmacists are provided with clear practice standards that instruct them on who is eligible to receive management and who must be referred to their doctor (GP).
The standards have been developed in consultation with key stakeholders and are based on international best practice. They have been tested through the NSW Pharmacy Trial for pharmacists managing oral contraceptive pill resupply, which ran for 12 months and finished on 27 September 2024.
The University of Newcastle is currently undertaking an independent evaluation of trial data, and will produce a final report for the NSW Health in 2026. This information will be used to inform future service delivery models.
If you have any concerns or complaints regarding pharmacist management of the hormonal contraception continuation service or concerns about the appropriateness of consultation areas please see the making a complaint page.
Concerns about professional practice and care can also be made to the Health Care Complaints Commission or the Pharmacy Council of NSW.
Your pharmacist will seek your consent to send a record to your usual doctor.
It is recommended that you discuss your hormonal contraceptive with your doctor regularly.
You should speak to your doctor earlier if you:
Pharmacists can charge a consultation fee for providing these services – this is at the discretion of the pharmacy. The pharmacist will follow clinical management guidelines and in many cases your condition may be safely treated without the need for you to be issued prescription medicines.
Prescription medicines are not subsidised when supplied by a pharmacist without a prescription. This means that when a prescription medicine is needed, the cost will be the same as a private prescription, with the price determined by the pharmacy and paid for by the patient.
Check with your pharmacist about the cost of consultation and medicines before you agree to receive the service.
Pharmacies delivering these services are required to maintain an up-to-date listing on the healthdirect Service Finder.
To find a pharmacist who can assist you with your condition, select Pharmacy from the 'Search by service' drop down menu, then enter your suburb or postcode, and click search.
This will provide you with a list of local pharmacies. When you click on each pharmacy, you can see a list of Offerings (if they are providing these services).
You can also choose to search by health services. The expanded scope services on the healthdirect Service Finder are referred to as the 'Oral contraceptive pill resupply service'.
Always call ahead before you visit your pharmacy for a consultation, or use their online booking tool if they have one.
